Three people lost their lives in attacks on Saudi Arabia’s major airports after Yemen’s Houthi movement took responsibility for the strikes, officials said. One casualty and eight injuries were reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while two deaths and 28 wounded were recorded at Abha International Airport near the Yemeni border.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, claim the attacks were carried out with ballistic missiles and drones in response to Saudi airstrikes that have targeted Houthi positions for the past 24 hours. “We have struck the Saudi aggression against our country,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree told media, adding that the attacks were aimed at retaliation.
The Saudi-led coalition has warned “the attacks will not go unpunished,” pledging to hit more than 80 Houthi sites across the governorates of Saada, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf and Ma'rib. The coalition’s counter‑offensive comes as Yemen’s civil war intensifies, with recent Houthi advances capturing key coastal stretches including the port of Mokha on the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a strategic chokepoint for global shipping.
Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi troops, claim they have “secured” the Bab al-Mandab waterway and declared an all‑out war to retake Houthi‑held territory. UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres has condemned the continues cross‑border attacks, expressing deep concern over the sharp escalation and its humanitarian toll. Over 200,000 people have been displaced in the latest flare‑up, according to the UN.
The attacks on the airports highlight the potential for the Yemen crisis to spill over directly into Saudi territory, raising fears of a broader regional conflict and threatening the stability of one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.
