Yes, in all but name. The Houthis are firing near-daily missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia, and attacks on Saudi airports have killed 20 people since the start of October, AFP reported. On Monday, government agencies in Riyadh told staff to work from home, and Egypt's parliament postponed a vote on sending troops to defend the kingdom until October 26.
It is the most serious fighting between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia since a 2022 truce.
What has happened this month?
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 5 | Turkey and Pakistan announce a "rapid deployment" of troops to Saudi Arabia |
| Oct. 10 | Attack on Riyadh airport kills 13 and injures hundreds |
| Oct. 15 | UN Security Council condemns "escalatory" Houthi attacks |
| Oct. 15 | Houthi missile attack hits the presidential palace in Aden; Yemen's health minister says five were killed |
| Oct. 17 | Egypt's Sisi asks parliament to approve defending Saudi Arabia |
| Oct. 18 | Saudi helicopter crash near Najran kills two officers; the Houthis claim they downed a Saudi Apache |
| Oct. 19 | Riyadh government staff sent home; Egypt delays its vote |
Riyadh's airport has been struck about 20 times this month, according to the UN Security Council statement. The October 10 attack was the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade.
Why is Riyadh working from home?
Government employees received a message saying "it has been decided to implement remote work from Monday to Thursday this week," AFP reported. The Kingdom Centre, a downtown skyscraper that houses the IMF's regional office, and firms in the King Abdullah Financial District also told staff to stay away.
Why did the fighting start again?
The Houthis seized Yemen's capital in 2014, and a Saudi-led coalition has backed the internationally recognised government since 2015. A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 largely held for years.
That changed with the regional war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026. The Iran-aligned Houthis joined in March, and fighting with Saudi Arabia resumed in July. In September they seized Yemen's Red Sea coastline.
The Saudi-led coalition says regional actors helped the Houthis acquire advanced weapons.
Is Egypt joining the war?
Not yet. On Saturday, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo "would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if it requests assistance" and asked parliament for authorisation. Read more on Sisi's speech.
| Votes needed | Two-thirds, about 397 of 596 MPs |
| New vote date | Monday, October 26 |
| Abstaining | Egyptian Social Democratic Party (11 MPs), citing unclear goals, costs and risks |
Egypt is also pushing diplomacy. Its foreign minister met Iran's Abbas Araghchi in Baghdad on Saturday and has called for US-Iran talks to resume.
Who else is involved?
Turkey and Pakistan are deploying forces under the Makkah defence alliance formed with Saudi Arabia in August. Pakistan says it has "substantial" forces in the kingdom. The UN Security Council has affirmed Saudi Arabia's right to self-defence.
What does it mean for shipping?
The Houthis now control Yemen's Red Sea coast and the approaches to the Bab al-Mandab strait. Tankers have been attacked off Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and the Security Council has condemned threats to commercial shipping. See our earlier coverage of the Red Sea attacks.
What to watch
Egypt's vote on October 26. Approval would open the way for Egyptian troops to fight alongside Saudi forces for the first time in this war.
Riyadh's airport. Further strikes on the capital would deepen disruption to Saudi business and travel.
Diplomacy. Russia, Egypt, Oman and Pakistan are all pushing for de-escalation and renewed US-Iran talks.
