Saudi airports in Jazan and Najran attacked; Houthis claim further strikes
In short
Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said three people were slightly wounded and property was damaged after attacks on Jazan and Najran airports on the evening of October 5. The Houthis said their forces targeted sites across southern Saudi Arabia, including airports and military facilities. On Wednesday at dawn the group claimed missile and drone strikes on Riyadh, Abha and Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia, and on Aden airport in Yemen, where a Cairo-to-Aden flight diverted to Jeddah.
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Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said three people were slightly wounded and property was damaged after attacks targeted King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport on the evening of October 5. The authority said emergency response teams and relevant authorities responded immediately under established emergency plans, the injured were taken to hospital, and it was working with authorities to assess the damage, verify the safety of airport facilities and secure civil aviation operations. [ 1 , 2 ]
The Houthis said late Monday that their forces had targeted sites across southern Saudi Arabia, including airports and military facilities, as fighting with the group intensified, according to Gulf News. [ 1 ]
On Wednesday at dawn, the Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and on government-held areas of Yemen, in what The National described as an escalation of attacks around airports, military positions and other infrastructure. The group said drones attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, disrupting air traffic, and that ballistic missiles and drones were used against Abha International Airport and the Khamis Mushait base. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm those airport claims and separately reported attacks by Houthi rebels on Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. [ 3 ]
In the southern Yemeni city of Aden, the Transport Ministry said two ballistic missiles and several explosive-laden drones were fired at the international airport around daybreak, forcing a Cairo-to-Aden flight to divert to Jeddah. The ministry said one missile landed near the runway minutes before Yemenia Airways flight 603 from Cairo was due to land, and that authorities evacuated passengers and airport staff and moved two Yemenia and Aden Airways aircraft away from the danger zone. Drones continued flying over Aden as the terminal was cleared, the ministry said, and no casualties were reported. The local authority in Aden described the attack as an assault on a civilian facility and its surroundings. [ 3 ]
Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree claimed the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at three Saudi military camps in the Jazan and Asir regions, saying the strikes killed and wounded dozens of Saudi soldiers and officers and set fire to weapons depots. The Houthi military also said it struck Saudi military supplies that had arrived at Badr camp near Aden airport with ballistic missiles, claiming the attack killed and wounded a number of Saudi officers there, and warned the enemy against using Aden civilian airport for military purposes. The National reported that none of the Houthi casualty or damage claims could be verified. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The attacks put civilian airports in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen at the centre of the fighting and forced at least one commercial flight to divert, a disruption to regional air travel. The Houthis and Saudi authorities give different accounts of what was hit, and the group's casualty and damage claims have not been verified, leaving the scale of the escalation unclear.
Key facts
- Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said three people were slightly wounded and property was damaged after attacks on Jazan and Najran airports on October 5. [ 1 , 2 ]
- GACA said the injured were taken to hospital and that it was working with authorities to assess damage and ensure passenger safety. [ 1 ]
- The Houthis said late Monday that their forces had targeted sites across southern Saudi Arabia, including airports and military facilities. [ 1 ]
- The Houthis claimed drones attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and that missiles and drones were used against Abha International Airport and the Khamis Mushait base; Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm those claims. [ 3 ]
- In Aden, the Transport Ministry said two ballistic missiles and several drones were fired at the international airport, forcing a Cairo-to-Aden flight to divert to Jeddah. [ 3 ]
- No casualties were reported in the Aden attack, according to the Transport Ministry. [ 3 ]
- A Houthi military spokesman claimed strikes on three Saudi military camps in the Jazan and Asir regions killed and wounded dozens of Saudi soldiers and officers. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Houthi claims that strikes killed and wounded dozens of Saudi soldiers and officers and set fire to weapons depots The claims come from the Houthi military as reported by a single outlet, and the same report says the group's casualty and damage claims could not be verified.
- Whether Saudi authorities confirmed the Houthi claims about King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport The National reports that Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the Houthi claims and separately reported attacks by the rebels on five locations.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Gulf News reports that GACA said three people were slightly wounded and property damaged after attacks on Jazan and Najran airports the previous evening. [ 1 ]
- Arabian Business reports the same attacks on Jazan and Najran, with three people suffering minor injuries and property damage. [ 2 ]
- The National reports Houthi claims of missile and drone strikes at dawn on Saudi Arabia and government-held areas of Yemen, including Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushait and Aden airport. [ 3 ]