Three civilians were killed and 36 others sustained injuries in attacks attributed to Houthi forces that targeted Abha and King Khalid international airports, according to a statement released by the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The assault on Abha international airport resulted in the deaths of two women—one Moroccan national and one Algerian national—along with 28 injured individuals. A separate strike on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh claimed the life of a Sudanese citizen and left eight residents injured, including five Saudi nationals. The Saudi civil aviation authority stated it is collaborating with relevant security agencies to evaluate infrastructure damage and implement measures aimed at safeguarding airport personnel and travelers.
These incidents represent the latest in a series of security incidents affecting Saudi Arabia’s aviation infrastructure. In the weeks prior, coalition forces aligned with Saudi Arabia reported intercepting and destroying what they characterized as a Houthi ballistic missile directed at Riyadh’s airport on September 18. The following day, witnesses reported an explosion near the facility, with a substantial column of dark smoke emerging from a fuel storage facility at the airport.
The attacks underscore ongoing tensions in the region stemming from conflict between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Iran-aligned Houthi militias, who control significant territory near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical maritime passage linking the Arabian and Red Seas. In response to the security developments, the United States embassy in Riyadh issued an alert to American citizens in Saudi Arabia, urging them to maintain heightened awareness of potential security risks.
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