Houthis target Saudi Arabia after Yemen government strikes Sanaa airport
Yemen's Houthi rebels say they have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport and King Khalid Air Base, describing them as
Yemen's Houthi rebels say they have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport and King Khalid Air Base, describing them as retaliation for the strike on Sanaa International Airport. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the operation achieved its intended objectives and warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, signalling that further attacks on Saudi airports could follow.
The Houthis hold Saudi Arabia responsible for the closure of Sanaa Airport and the latest attacks. The escalation began after Yemen's internationally recognised government said its forces struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation returning from Tehran from landing. The delegation later disembarked at Hodeidah Port. The government said its patience had run out and warned it would respond to any future violations of its airspace using all available means.
Although the Yemeni government claimed responsibility for the strike, the Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of carrying it out, making Riyadh their primary target. The latest escalation threatens to unravel the fragile UN-brokered ceasefire that has largely held since 2022 and raises fears of a return to the wider regional conflict that began in 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen.
Al Jazeera's Yousef Mawry reports from Sanaa, Yemen. Find us on Check our website Check out our Instagram page Download AJE Mobile App
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