3 killed, 36 injured in attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha, Riyadh airports

Three people were killed, and 36 others were injured in attacks targeting two airports in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation said Wednesday.

GACA said Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were targeted in two separate attacks Tuesday and Wednesday, with emergency and relevant authorities responding to both incidents.

The attack on Abha International Airport killed two residents -- one Moroccan and one Algerian and injured 28 people, the authority said.

The injured included two Saudi citizens and residents of Bangladeshi and Filipino nationalities, with injuries ranging from minor to serious, GACA added.

At King Khalid International Airport, a Sudanese national was killed and eight people were injured, including five Saudi, two Egyptian and a Pakistani national, the authority said.

All those injured were immediately taken to hospitals for medical treatment, GACA said, adding that the two attacks also caused material damage.

The authority said it continues to coordinate with relevant security agencies to assess the damage and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and airport employees.

Yemen's Houthis claimed Wednesday that they had carried out attacks targeting both airports.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with drones and carried out another operation against Abha International Airport using ballistic missiles and drones.

The attacks came amid an escalation between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis since March 2015.

The Saudi-led coalition said that it destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in Yemen’s Sanaa that was used in an attack on Riyadh.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on X that the platform was destroyed “during preparations for an imminent attack against the kingdom.”

US Mission warns of heightened security risks in Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, the US Mission in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert Wednesday, urging Americans to exercise heightened vigilance amid hostilities and Houthi threats against airports and airspace in the kingdom.

“The Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including against civilian airports, and the military conflict has the potential to escalate,” it said.

It warned Americans of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions, advising travelers to check their flight status with airlines and airports.

The mission also advised US citizens not to travel near the Yemeni border and to follow alerts issued by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense.

US government employees in Saudi Arabia are prohibited from traveling within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the Yemeni border and require special authorization to travel to the provinces of Jizan, Asir and Najran, as well as the cities of Qatif, Yanbu and Taif, it said.

The mission advised Americans to remain aware of their surroundings, avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, monitor media and follow instructions from Saudi authorities.

The alert came one day after the UK Embassy in Saudi Arabia warned British nationals that the kingdom continued to face missile and drone attacks targeting “cities, airports, military sites and energy infrastructure.”

The British Embassy urged its nationals to follow local authorities’ instructions and subscribe to UK Foreign Office travel alerts.