Three killed in Houthi attacks on Saudi airports

CAIRO:

Three people were killed and dozens wounded in attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia, authorities said on Wednesday, as fighting intensified in Yemen between Iran-aligned Houthi forces and Saudi-backed government troops.

One person was killed and eight wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while two people were killed and 28 wounded in an attack on facilities at Abha airport, Saudi civil aviation authorities said. The attacks occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The attacks came as the Houthis targeted Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. Yemen's Transport Ministry said one missile landed near the runway minutes before a flight from Cairo was due to arrive.

Fighting has intensified around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route whose importance has grown since conflict between the United States and Iran restricted trade through the Strait of Hormuz. Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi-led coalition air support, have launched a counteroffensive to retake territory captured by the Houthis in September.

The renewed fighting has displaced more than 200,000 people, the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday. IOM Director General Amy Pope said people were "running for their lives and finding nowhere safe to go" and called for increased funding for food and shelter.

The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of Riyadh and was tracking its launch platform in Houthi-controlled Sanaa. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid airport with several drones.

The Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention. Riyadh accuses Iran of arming and supporting the group, while the Houthis and Tehran reject the allegations. REUTERS