Three people were injured after attacks targeted two airports in southern Saudi Arabia, authorities said on Tuesday, as tensions between the kingdom and Yemen’s Houthi movement continue to escalate.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the attacks struck facilities at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport a day earlier. The incidents caused material damage to the affected facilities.
Emergency services and relevant authorities responded immediately, while the injured individuals were taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries were described as minor.
Officials did not identify the attackers in their statement. Security and aviation authorities were assessing the damage and taking additional measures to protect passengers, airport employees and civil aviation infrastructure.
The attacks came after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a series of missile and drone strikes against targets across Saudi Arabia. The group said it had targeted what it described as sensitive locations in Jazan and Najran.
The Houthis also claimed attacks involving King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Abha Airport, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh and several military facilities.
An explosion was also reported in Riyadh on Tuesday, with residents saying they heard a loud blast in northern parts of the Saudi capital. Details about the incident were not immediately clear.
Saudi Arabia has condemned the attacks on civilian and economic infrastructure, accusing the Houthis of continuing their military escalation.
Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council have also condemned the attacks and expressed support for Saudi Arabia.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi spoke by telephone with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and reaffirmed Amman’s solidarity with Riyadh. He said Jordan supported measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its territory, security, stability and citizens.
Safadi also condemned attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including reported attempts to threaten the Muslim holy cities of Makkah and Madina. He reiterated Jordan’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government and efforts to find a political solution that preserves Yemen’s unity and sovereignty.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi also denounced the attacks on the two airports in southern Saudi Arabia. He described strikes against civilian facilities and airports as a serious escalation and warned of their potential threat to civilians and air traffic.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen said its forces had destroyed a weapons depot in northwestern Yemen containing around 20 ballistic missiles.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said the facility was located in a mountainous area of Saada province. He added that another ballistic missile launch site in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, was also destroyed.
The coalition also reported military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen’s western Hodeidah province. According to the coalition, the strikes destroyed weapons storage facilities as well as sites containing explosive-laden boats and naval mines.
The coalition said its forces had also disrupted preparations for attacks on shipping routes in the southern Red Sea.
Yemen has remained divided by conflict since the Houthis captured Sanaa and large parts of the country in 2014. Saudi Arabia led a military coalition in Yemen the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.
A United Nations-backed truce reached in 2022 later collapsed, while tensions and military activity have continued to threaten regional security and vital shipping routes.
