Three Wounded as Cross-Border Projectiles Strike Airports in Southern Saudi Arabia

Three individuals sustained minor injuries following attacks on two airports near the Yemen border, according to Saudi authorities. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz airport in Jazan and Najran airport were struck on Monday evening, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority reported on Tuesday, noting that the incident also caused material damage.

Yemen’s Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, stated late on Monday that their forces targeted several locations across southern Saudi Arabia, including key airports and military sites. The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed that the injured were transported to the hospital for treatment, while specialized teams immediately deployed to manage the aftermath and assess the extent of the damage.

International and regional condemnation followed the strikes. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim al-Budaiwi labeled the targeting of civilian infrastructure a dangerous escalation, while Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the actions of the Iran-aligned group.

The airport strikes coincide with a broader intensification of the conflict in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition announced it had destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa and a storage facility containing 20 ballistic missiles in Saada. These actions followed a counteroffensive by forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government to reclaim territory recently captured by the Houthis, with government forces securing Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb strait with extensive air and naval support from the Saudi-led coalition.

Commenting on the strategic developments, former United Nations Security Council adviser on Yemen Fernando Carvajal noted that Mocha will serve as a critical focal point for upcoming clashes. Meanwhile, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia agreed to invoke mutual defense pacts and deploy forces to the Gulf kingdom to deter further assaults, as stated by Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, Khalid bin Salman.