Dubai: Houthi rebels from Yemen attacked Abha International Airport in Southwest Saudi Arabia, setting fire to a passenger aircraft parked there. This information was given in the news of Saudi government TV.
Firemen have put the fire under control, al-Akhbaria TV reported Wednesday. According to initial reports, there is currently no information about any casualties in this attack. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack. The organization’s military spokesman Yehia Sariya said that four drones loaded with bombs were used to target the airport.
The spokesman said, “The attack was carried out in response to the continuing bombings (in Yemen).” Also, it said that Huti considers the airport a military target. There is no immediate response from Saudi authorities about the incident. A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition, Colonel Turkey al-Maliki, said coalition forces destroyed two drones carrying bombs sent by the Houthis toward Saudi Arabia.
He condemned the attack, calling it a deliberate attempt to target the common man in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Later, images aired by Saudi Government TV showed a three-year-old Airbus A320 aircraft. A TV anchor said that no one was injured in the incident. In November 2017, Hutis targeted Riyadh’s international airport. Iran continues to deny accusations of providing arms and ammunition to the Houthis, although evidence and reports from a UN expert demonstrate that the arms belong to Tehran.
The US Air Force Central Command, based at Al Udaid Air Base in neighboring Qatar, has refused to comment on the attack. However, Wednesday’s incident is the first attack in which any passenger aircraft has been damaged at the airport. Flight information websites are being given information about delays or cancellations of flights.
At least two Saudi Airbus A320 aircraft were at the airport on Wednesday afternoon, according to the FlightRadar24.com website. Another Air Bus A320 aircraft was also present there, which is the affordable airline Flydeal. Both airlines have not yet commented. Saudi Arabia has been fighting a war against the Houthis for nearly six years in Yemen.
