Houthi Insurgents Claim Responsibility for Attacks on Saudi Airports

The Houthi rebels from Yemen stated on Thursday that they were behind the ballistic missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.

Alongside this, Saudi officials reported that Abha airport also came under attack, resulting in the deaths of three civilians due to Houthi strikes.

According to Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority, fatalities included a Moroccan and an Algerian national residing in Abha, as well as a Sudanese national in Riyadh. Additionally, 28 individuals were injured in Abha and another eight in Riyadh.

The Houthis released a statement on Thursday morning asserting their responsibility for the attack on Riyadh but did not immediately take credit for the assault on Abha airport.

Major General Turki a-Maliki, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition opposing the Houthis, noted that coalition forces intercepted multiple ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and the city of Khamis Mushait.

Maliki reported that the coalition successfully destroyed a Houthi missile launch platform located near Sanaa, which the insurgents had controlled since 2014.

Saudi civil defense officials mentioned that debris from a missile that was intercepted near Riyadh landed on a kindergarten and a medical clinic, causing some material damage.

Maliki emphasized that the attacks by the Houthis “will not go unpunished,” announcing a “comprehensive operation” aimed at Houthi military assets in Yemen, which has already resulted in the destruction of 82 targets, including missile storage sites and command centers.

Regional leaders and organizations condemned the Houthi assaults on Saudi airports, labeling them violations of international law. Bahrain described the attacks as “criminal,” arguing they endanger the lives of both passengers and airport staff, while Jordan deemed them a breach of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty.

Syria and Egypt also condemned the Houthi actions, viewing them as threats to regional stability and security. The Gulf Cooperation Council termed the strikes “terrorist attacks,” asserting they marked a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict involving the Houthis, Yemen’s legitimate government, and Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, the Muslim World League criticized the Houthi attacks as “acts of terrorism,” emphasizing that these actions contravene religious values and humanitarian principles.