Saudi Arabia has confirmed that attacks struck two of its airports, as fighting with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement escalates.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport were targeted. The authority said emergency teams and relevant officials responded immediately under approved procedures. Three people suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital, and material damage was reported at the sites.
The attacks followed claims by the Houthis that they had struck multiple locations across Saudi Arabia, including what the group called “sensitive sites” in Jazan and Najran. The Houthis also claimed to have hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco oil refinery, and military installations. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed those additional claims.
Saudi officials condemned the strikes on civilian facilities and accused the Houthis of escalating the conflict, reporting that they had intercepted ballistic missiles and drones aimed at the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, working alongside allies in the Yemeni government, has been carrying out a counter-offensive aimed at retaking territory the Houthis had seized along the Red Sea. That effort is seen as significant for protecting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key alternative route for oil shipments to the Strait of Hormuz, and for limiting the reach of an Iran-backed group in the region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the situation on Monday, saying, “Obviously the Saudis have come under Houthi attack and see the threat that that poses, and they have a right to defend themselves.”
