Missile hits Saudi airport

This item appears on page 16 of the August 2019 issue.

A cruise missile fired by rebel Houthi forces in Yemen struck the Arrivals hall at Abha International Airport in Abha, southwestern Saudi Arabia, on June 12, injuring 26 civilians. The rebel group released a statement saying that the airport had been the intended target.

Yemen has been engaged in a civil war against ethnic Houthi rebels since 2015. A Saudi-led coalition of eight Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, has assisted the internationally recognized Yemeni government both militarily and with an aid blockade against Houthi-held cities. Conditions caused by a combination of the fighting and blockade have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians in Yemen, according to UN estimates.

On June 23, the Abha airport was again targeted, this time by Houthi drones, killing one person and injuring 21, all civilians. The drones used were designed to explode in the air, sending shrapnel toward ground targets.