Houthis claim attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport

• The Houthis claimed attacks on several Saudi targets, including Abha International Airport, as fighting in Yemen sharply escalates.
• Saudi authorities confirmed that attacks hit airports in Jazan and Najran, injuring three people and causing material damage, but have not confirmed the Houthi claim regarding Abha.

Yemen’s Houthis claimed Monday that they targeted Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s Asir province with a ballistic missile, as the group escalated cross-border attacks amid renewed fighting in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the missile was "precise and direct," claiming that the strike disrupted air traffic at the airport.

"We reiterate our warning to all global airlines regarding the consequences of continuing to operate their flights in Saudi airspace," Saree said in a statement on X, describing Saudi airspace as a "theatre for our military operations."

There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities that Abha airport had been hit or that its operations were disrupted.

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said attacks on King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport on Monday evening caused material damage and left three people with minor injuries.

The injured were taken to hospital, while authorities said emergency teams responded and began assessing damage and checking the safety of airport facilities.

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for a wider series of attacks involving ballistic and cruise missiles and drones against Saudi airports, military positions and energy infrastructure.

The latest escalation comes after Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched a major offensive against the Houthis, seeking to retake territory held by the group and regain control of areas around the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Houthi forces said their attacks were carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes on Yemen. The group claimed three operations targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, Abha airport and military sites in Asir, including Khamis Mushait. These claims have not all been independently verified.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said its forces had struck Houthi military infrastructure in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition spokesman said Tuesday that coalition forces destroyed a depot containing 20 ballistic missiles in northwestern Yemen and a missile launch site in Sanaa.

The renewed cross-border attacks mark a sharp escalation after years of relative calm between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.

The escalation also comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces push toward the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's key maritime chokepoints. The fighting has raised concerns over the security of shipping and energy infrastructure across the Red Sea region.

The United Nations has expressed concern over the escalation, while Saudi Arabia has condemned the Houthi attacks and said it has the right to defend itself.