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Yemen's Houthi movement launched a missile and drone attack on Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport on Monday, saying the strike was retaliation for attacks on Sanaa airport that the Iran-backed group blamed on Riyadh, even as the internationally recognized Yemeni government claimed responsibility for those strikes.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced the operation in a video statement, saying the group's forces targeted Abha using ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in response to what he called "criminal Saudi aggression."
Saree also issued a direct warning to commercial carriers, urging all airlines to avoid Saudi airspace and saying those warnings should be taken seriously until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.
The threat adds a new dimension to the conflict by drawing civilian aviation into the crossfire, a tactic the Houthis have employed before. Abha airport, located in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border, has been a recurring target in the years-long war.
Sanaa International Airport has long been a flashpoint in the war. The Houthis have repeatedly accused the Saudi-led coalition of blocking or restricting flights through the airport, framing such measures as a humanitarian blockade affecting civilians' access to medical care and travel abroad. The coalition has said restrictions are necessary to prevent weapons smuggling.
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