Agencies | Riyadh:
Three civilians, including two women, have been killed and 36 others injured in Houthi attacks targeting Abha and King Khalid International airports in Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The reported attacks come amid an intensification of fighting in Yemen, where clashes between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops have triggered a sharp increase in civilian displacement and heightened regional security concerns.
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 201,217 people had been displaced in Yemen so far, up significantly from the 76,000 reported in mid-September. The surge highlights the worsening humanitarian consequences of the conflict, with thousands of families forced to leave their homes amid continuing violence.
On the battlefield, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have claimed advances in western Taiz as part of their “Dawn of Yemen” operation, aimed at reclaiming territory in the mountainous belt overlooking the country’s western coast.
However, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had halted an advance by government forces in Al Jawf governorate, claiming that a number of opposing fighters had been killed or wounded.
The competing claims underline the continuing intensity of the conflict, as military operations and cross-border attacks add to concerns over civilian safety and the broader regional impact.
With displacement rising and civilians increasingly exposed to the consequences of the fighting, humanitarian needs in Yemen continue to grow. The latest developments have renewed concerns over the protection of civilians, the security of critical infrastructure and the prospects for a reduction in hostilities.
