An intercepted drone attack believed to have been launched by Yemen's Houthis rebels injured 12 people on Thursday at Abha airport in southern Saudi Arabia near the border with the war-torn country.
It was not immediately clear from the Saudi-led coalition statement whether the people, who included travelers and workers at the airport, were wounded by the drone itself or from fallen debris.
Saudi air defenses destroyed the drone, according to the statement, which also said it was launched by Houthi rebels inside Yemen early Thursday afternoon. Saudi state television and accompanying social media accounts showed video from inside the airport showing operations there running normally.
Light injuries were sustained by two Saudi nationals and citizens of Bangladesh, Nepal, India, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Abha International Airport has previously been targeted in similar attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a coalition member, twice in January said its forces destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launch area in Yemen, after unprecedented drone and missile attacks on the UAE this year claimed by the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia has been at war in Yemen since 2015 fighting against Iranian-backed Houthis who overran the capital and ousted the government from power.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Saudi King Salman. The White House said the president and king discussed "Iranian-enabled attacks by the Houthis against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia.” Biden underscored U.S. commitment in supporting Saudi Arabia in the defense of its people and territory from such attacks, it added.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people, both fighters and civilians, and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Charity group Oxfam this week said a yearlong battle over the strategic Yemeni city of Marib alone has displaced about 100,000 people. The fighting in Marib led to increased Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks. The UAE is part of the Saudi-led coalition and backs Yemeni militias fighting the Houthis. U.S. officials have scrambled to reassure the Gulf strategic allies of U.S. defensive support.
The U.S. initially backed the Saudi war effort as the coalition tried to drive the Iranian-backed Houthis from the capital, Sanaa, and restore the previous government to power. Biden, however, has since tried to distance the U.S. military from involvement in Yemen’s war, where both sides are accused of human rights abuses.
A Saudi readout of the monarch's call with Biden said King Salman discussed the importance of strengthening mutual security cooperation and cited Saudi support for U.S. efforts in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The White House says Biden briefed the king on ongoing multilateral talks focused on Iran's nuclear program.
King Salman stressed the need to work together to counter the destabilizing activities of Iran’s proxies in the region, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.
The two also discussed their shared commitment to maintaining balance and stability in oil markets as Brent crude hovers around $90 a barrel.
