Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports Escalate Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia reported renewed attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday, with two airports in the cities of Najran and Jizan sustaining damage and three people suffering minor injuries. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strikes, adding that they targeted a third airport, Abha International Airport, on Tuesday, though this could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward Khamis Mushait, a city housing a major military base.
The fighting in Yemen persists, with clashes around the strategic town of Dhubab, which the Houthis continue to contest despite previous claims by Yemen’s government that it had been retaken. The Saudi-led coalition aims to reclaim Houthi-controlled territory near the Red Sea to secure oil export routes.
Elsewhere, an outbound tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, though no casualties or environmental damage were reported. Tensions in the region remain high as Israel prepares to mark the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered a broader conflict involving Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed two people, with the military stating it targeted militants. Since the ceasefire nearly a year ago, over 1,460 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of potential Hamas attacks ahead of the country’s upcoming elections, though he provided no evidence. Additionally, Israeli settlers reportedly attacked a Palestinian photojournalist and others in the West Bank, while authorities demolished a five-story building in east Jerusalem, citing lack of permits.