Attacks on Saudi airports kill three people, as fighting escalates in Yemen

Three people died and 38 were injured in attacks on Saudi airports, while intensified fighting raged in Yemen between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces, according to the country's civil aviation authorities. One death and eight injuries occurred at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Wednesday, while two fatalities and 28 injuries were reported at Abha Airport on Tuesday.

The Saudi-led coalition vowed retaliation and retaliated by striking over 80 Houthi military sites in Saada, Hodeidah, Jawf, and Marib governorates.

The Houthis targeted Aden's international airport with ballistic missiles and explosive drones earlier on Wednesday, stranding a flight from Cairo due to landing minutes before a missile landed near the runway. The airport serves as the primary international gateway for parts of Yemen not under Houthi control. Battles have intensified in recent days around Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial shipping route for energy exports since the conflict with the US and Iran disrupted trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

Recent Yemeni government counteroffensive, backed by Saudi-led coalition air support, aimed to recapture strategic territory near the strait and Mocha, a town captured by the Houthis in September. However, the advance's success remains uncertain. The conflict, a response to the US-Iran conflict, has reignited a 12-year war in Yemen, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and fragmenting the country.

Over 200,000 people have been displaced since the latest fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Both sides claim hundreds of casualties without providing details. The UN reports that three-quarters of families in certain Yemeni regions are going hungry. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi infrastructure, including airports, oil refineries, and pipelines. On Wednesday, the coalition intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile near Riyadh. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with several drones.

Saudi Arabia sought international assistance to counter Houthi control over Bab al-Mandab Strait, with Turkey providing defensive and technical aid, and Syria considering either defensive aid or offensive deployment to aid Saudi-backed Yemeni troops. The US officially requested Syria deploy forces to combat the Houthis. Meanwhile, battles over the strait continued in Yemen's Dhubab district, with pro-government forces attempting an advance in the strategic hills east of the coastal plain.