Three civilians have been killed and 36 injured in attacks on two international airports in Saudi Arabia amid escalating fighting between the Iran-backed
Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said attacks targeted Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday. At Abha airport, two women, identified as Moroccan and Algerian nationals in one Saudi aviation authority statement, were killed and 28 people were injured. At King Khalid International Airport, a Sudanese national was killed and eight others were injured, including five Saudi citizens. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government said it had destroyed the ballistic missile launch platform used in the attack on Riyadh. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport with a ballistic missile, saying the strike disrupted air traffic. The Saudi-led coalition said the missile was intercepted.
US Embassy Issues Security Alert
The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert citing the ongoing Yemen conflict and what it described as public Houthi threats against Saudi airports and airspace.
The mission urged US citizens in Saudi Arabia to exercise heightened vigilance, warning that the conflict could escalate. It also told Americans to be prepared for potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions, while advising them not to travel near the Yemen border.
The attacks have also affected aviation in Yemen. Yemen Airways said it would continue operating according to its schedule while taking measures to select the safest routes. The airline said flights had been operating as scheduled since Wednesday morning and that passengers had been contacted regarding their flight times.
Earlier, Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and drones at Aden International Airport, with no casualties reported. Yemen's Saba news agency said one missile landed near the runway shortly before a scheduled flight from Cairo was due to arrive, forcing the flight to divert to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Two explosions were also reported near Aden airport.
Houthis Claim Wider Missile Offensive
Saree separately claimed that the Houthis had launched 11 ballistic missiles against groups of Yemeni government forces over the previous 24 hours.
He said the attacks targeted government forces along key routes near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, including Ras al-Ara, al-Mudarabah and al-Saqiya. He claimed the strikes caused dozens of casualties, including military commanders, and destroyed several vehicles.
Saree also claimed a separate missile attack on the Saudi-backed Giants Brigades killed and injured more than 30 people.
Meanwhile, Yemen's internationally recognised government has launched a major counter-offensive known as the “Dawn of Yemen” operation. President Rashad al-Alimi has pledged to achieve its full objectives.
The conflict has intensified after Yemen's civil war reignited in July following a four-year ceasefire. The Houthis have captured territory along the Red Sea, while government forces backed by Saudi Arabia have launched an effort to retake areas held by the group.
The United Nations said the fighting has displaced more than 200,000 people inside Yemen. Claims from the opposing sides have not been independently verified, with access for journalists remaining difficult and the situation developing rapidly.
The escalation has also raised concerns over civilian safety and air travel as attacks increasingly target airports and other strategic locations in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
