As the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen launched an offensive to recapture key strongholds around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait previously held by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Houthis have also launched counterattacks targeting the Saudi mainland.

In particular, as the Houthis targeted airports and oil refineries in multiple cities, including the Saudi capital Riyadh, airstrikes have reportedly caused damage near areas where South Korean companies operate.

According to Reuters on October 6 (local time), the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that day that three people were injured and property damage occurred following two separate attacks the previous night at airports in Jazan and Najran, which are close to the Yemeni border.

The aviation authority stated that it is assessing the extent of the damage at King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport, and is taking measures to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and aviation operations.

According to Iran's Press TV, Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated in a statement the previous day that multiple ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones were used to attack Saudi airports and oil facilities.

Spokesman Saree said that the Houthis first directly struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, disrupting flight operations, and secondly attacked the Aramco refinery in the Red Sea coastal city of Rabigh, causing a fire at the site.

He added that in a third operation, they targeted Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the nearby Khamis Mushait air base, and military installations in the Asir, Najran, and Jazan regions.

Spokesman Saree claimed that they also attacked another Saudi airport on October 6.

In response, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki announced that day that coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward Khamis Mushait.

Among the areas targeted in this Houthi airstrike, Rabigh is a city closely tied to South Korean companies.

South Korean companies have previously expanded into the area, with GS E&C winning an order in the 2010s to construct the Petro Rabigh petrochemical complex operated by Saudi state oil company Aramco, and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) winning a 1,200 MW heavy fuel oil thermal power project in 2009 to operate there.

Recently, Hyundai Motor is constructing a plant in the King Salman Global Maritime Industries Complex located about 40 kilometers south of Rabigh, and construction site workers reportedly commute from lodgings in Rabigh.

The Houthis stated that this attack was in retaliation for Saudi military airstrikes targeting regions like the Houthi-controlled capital of SANA, emphasizing that their principle of "a blockade for a blockade, and escalation for escalation" remains valid.

They also warned international airlines that Saudi airspace, excluding the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, falls within the operational range of the Houthis.