Yemen's Houthis Target Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport After Sanaa Strikes on July 14, 2026

On July 14, 2026, Yemen's Houthis launched missiles at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia. This attack was a direct response to air strikes on Sanaa's airport, which the Houthis blamed on the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition's air defenses reportedly intercepted the missiles, with no casualties reported.

Escalation of Conflict Between Houthis and Saudi Arabia

The Houthis, who control northwestern Yemen and are backed by Iran, condemned the Saudi strikes as "blatant aggression." They claimed that the Saudi-led coalition targeted Sanaa's airport runway to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. This incident marks a significant escalation in the conflict, which had seen a period of relative calm since an informal truce took effect four years ago.

The civil war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the internationally-recognized government from Sanaa. Since the conflict escalated in 2015, over 150,000 people have died, resulting in one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, with more than 22 million people requiring aid, according to the UN.

Details of the Attacks and Responses

Footage shared on social media depicted plumes of smoke rising from rooftops in Sanaa following the air strikes. The Houthi-controlled al-Masirah TV reported that the "departure and landing runways" were specifically targeted. The Yemeni government, based in the southern port of Aden, claimed responsibility for the strikes, describing the Houthis as "terrorist militias" attempting to allow an Iranian plane to land in Yemen.

The Iranian plane, carrying a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had to divert and eventually landed in Hudaydah, approximately 150 km south-west of Sanaa. The coalition has maintained that aircraft entering Yemeni airspace require clearance, acting at the request of the Yemeni government.

International Reactions and Concerns

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the Saudi strikes had ended the "de-escalation phase" of the conflict, vowing that the attacks would not go "unanswered or unpunished." He also cautioned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.

In response to the missile threats, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman confirmed that air defenses managed to intercept the missiles aimed at the southern region. During an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Assistant Secretary General Khaled Khiari expressed concerns about the escalating violence, urging all parties to engage in negotiations under UN auspices. The UK's representative condemned the Houthi attacks as "reckless" and a threat to regional security, while Iran's foreign ministry condemned the attack on Sanaa's airport as a "clear violation of international law."