27 Oct 2020 | 11:57 AM UTC
Saudi Arabia: Houthi rebels claim attack on Abha International Airport October 27
Houthi rebels claim attack on Abha International Airport on October 27; further attacks and retaliatory strikes are to be anticipated over the near term
Event
Houthi rebels claim to have struck a military target at Abha International Airport (ABH) using an explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Kingdom's Asir province on Tuesday, October 27. The extent of the damage has not been revealed and Saudi authorities have not provided any confirmation of the incident as of Tuesday.
Further cross-border attacks targeting Saudi infrastructure and facilities and possible in the region in the medium term.
Context
Houthi rebels have claimed several missile attacks targeting Saudi facilities and infrastructure since late May 2019. The group has targeted airports in Abha, Jizan, and Najran. A Houthi-claimed missile attack wounded 26 people at the arrivals hall at Abha International Airport (AHB) on June 12, 2019. Material damage was also reported.
Yemen-based Houthi rebels have launched hundreds of rockets, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Saudi Arabia since 2015 when Saudi-led coalition forces intervened in the country's civil war in support of the Yemeni government. Towns and cities in the southwestern border provinces of Jizan, Asir, and Najran have frequently been targeted in such attacks, but longer-range ballistic missiles have also been launched towards Riyadh, Jeddah, and other major cities in the country. Many of these missiles, rockets, and UAVs have been intercepted by Saudi air defenses, but hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in such attacks since the beginning of the conflict.
Advice
Those in southwestern Saudi Arabia are advised to monitor developments and heed any directives issued by local authorities. Travelers should familiarise themselves with missile attack procedures in their particular area of operations and the location of the nearest air raid shelters. Those flying via AHB are advised to monitor developments, confirm flight reservations, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments. Seek shelter immediately in the event of a missile or drone attack.
