Saudi-led coalition orders Sanaa evacuation before special operation, Houthis threaten Riyadh
The coalition will soon order civilians to leave an oil company site in central Sanaa before a special operation, and the Houthis have promised a severe response against Riyadh if the capital is hit.
Coalition announces Sanaa operation
On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, the Saudi-led coalition said it would soon warn civilians to evacuate a site in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital controlled by the Houthis, ahead of what it described as a special operation. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on X that the joint command was asking civilians to leave the central al-Sabaha station of the Yemeni Oil Company in Sanaa, and he posted a map showing the site. The formal warning has not yet been issued, so the operation itself has not begun. The nature and objectives of the planned operation have not been specified, and no timing has been given beyond the coming hours.
Houthi threat against Riyadh
The Houthis answered the announcement with a direct threat to Saudi Arabia's capital. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X that any attack on Sanaa would bring a severe and painful response in Riyadh. The threat follows Houthi attacks on Riyadh's main airport in the days before 13 October, which have put the Saudi government under visible strain. Saudi Arabia also announced that it had intercepted three drones north of Riyadh, a city that Yemeni rebels have attacked in the days before the announcement. The Houthis have additionally called on residents living near Saudi oil facilities to move away from them.
Travel warnings and airport closure
The French embassy in Saudi Arabia strongly advised French citizens against travelling to or transiting through King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd Airport in Dammam. It also advised against non-essential travel to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, except for imperative reasons. The embassy cited the security situation as the reason for the advice. Riyadh's King Khalid airport is expected to remain closed until 17 October, in the middle of the escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in neighbouring Yemen.
Pressure on Riyadh and open questions
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the pro-Iranian Houthis in Yemen for more than a decade. Reporting describes the government of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as under growing pressure after the strikes on Riyadh's main airport, which reached the heart of Saudi infrastructure. Several key details remain open: the timing of the operation, the size of the area to be cleared beyond the al-Sabaha station, and whether the Houthis will carry out their threatened response against Riyadh. The coming hours will show whether the warning is followed by strikes on Sanaa.
