RIYADH: Three people were killed and dozens wounded in attacks on Saudi airports as fighting intensified between Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.
Saudi Airports Hit
Saudi civil aviation authorities said one person died and eight people suffered injuries at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Two others died and 28 people were wounded in an attack on facilities at Abha airport.
The attacks took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, Saudi authorities did not say which incident occurred on each day.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis promised retaliation. It later said its forces had struck more than 80 Houthi military sites in Saada, Hodeidah, Jawf and Marib.
The Houthis also attacked Aden’s international airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones.
Yemen’s Transport Ministry said one missile landed near the runway. The attack came minutes before a flight from Cairo was due to land.
Battle for Bab el-Mandeb
The attacks come as fighting intensifies around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The waterway links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and carries vital international shipping.
The strait has gained even greater importance since the wider US-Iran conflict disrupted trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a counteroffensive this week. Coalition aircraft are supporting the operation.
The government forces aim to retake territory near Bab el-Mandeb and the strategic town of Mocha. The Houthis captured Mocha in September.
Fighting remains concentrated around Dhubab, which overlooks the strait. Yemeni forces are also trying to advance through strategic hills east of the coastal plain.
Any sustained Houthi control of Bab el-Mandeb could threaten shipping and global energy supplies.
Turkey and Syria Consider Support
Saudi Arabia has sought international help against the Houthis.
Turkey is providing mainly defensive and technical support, according to two officials. The move follows a new defence commitment involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.
Syria is also considering military assistance to Saudi Arabia.
Officials said Damascus could provide defensive support or deploy forces to assist Saudi-backed Yemeni troops. Syria, however, said its main priority remains domestic recovery after years of civil war.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The renewed fighting has already displaced more than 200,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration.
“People are running for their lives and finding nowhere safe to go,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said. She called for more funding to provide food and shelter.
The UN says three in four families are going hungry in parts of Yemen.
The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi airports and energy infrastructure. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of arming, training and funding the group.
The Houthis deny operating as an Iranian proxy. Tehran also rejects Saudi allegations.
The latest escalation risks opening another major regional front. Control of Bab el-Mandeb could affect both global trade and energy security.
