Key facts
- Three people were killed and 36 wounded in attacks on Saudi airports.
- King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was attacked, killing one person and wounding eight.
- Abha airport was attacked, killing two people and wounding 28.
- Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the airport attacks.
- Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh.
- Fighting has intensified around Dhubab and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in Yemen.
Three people were killed and at least 36 wounded in coordinated attacks on Saudi airports on Wednesday. The Houthis claimed responsibility for strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which killed one person and wounded eight, and Abha airport, where two people were killed and 28 wounded. The Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation did not officially blame any party for the attacks.
These attacks occur as fighting intensifies in Yemen. Saudi-led coalition forces announced they intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh and destroyed a platform in Sanaa used for launching attacks. The coalition, alongside allied Yemeni forces, has launched a major offensive to retake territory seized by the Houthis along Yemen's western Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial chokepoint for global trade.
Houthi officials stated they had regained control of key areas on Yemen's southwestern coast, including Dhubab and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, following intensified fighting. However, a Yemeni government official denied these claims. The Houthis also alleged that Saudi forces targeted civilian assets in Yemen. The Institute for the Study of War suggested the Houthis aim to increase economic costs for Saudi Arabia by striking civilian infrastructure.