Three individuals have been killed in attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia over two days, according to authorities. The attacks have been attributed to Houthi fighters, marking an escalation in the conflict between Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
On October 6 and 7, Abha International Airport was attacked, resulting in two fatalities and 28 injuries, as reported by Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca). In a separate incident, one person was killed and eight were injured at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The victims included two women of Moroccan and Algerian nationalities at Abha airport, and a male resident of Sudanese nationality at King Khalid airport.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that they were executed using ballistic missiles and drones. He also mentioned an attack on Aden's International Airport in Yemen, which has been targeted during escalations in fighting. Saree described the attacks as a response to what he termed "Saudi aggression," citing 60 airstrikes and missile attacks in the preceding 24 hours.
The civil war in Yemen has intensified recently, with the Houthis seizing control of key areas along the Red Sea coast. Yemeni pro-government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have claimed to have secured the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping route. The Saudi-led coalition has vowed to respond to the Houthi attacks, targeting over 80 military sites associated with the group.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the Houthi attacks and expressed concern over the escalating violence, which has reportedly resulted in hundreds of casualties on both sides. The UN has also indicated that more than 200,000 people have been displaced due to the recent conflict escalation.