The attacks targeted Abha International Airport in the southern Asir region on October 6 and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 7, causing civilian casualties and damage to airport facilities.
Two women, one Moroccan and the other Algerian, died in the Abha attack. Another 28 people sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious, including Saudi citizens and residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines.
The attack on King Khalid International Airport killed a Sudanese resident and injured eight others. The wounded included five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and one Pakistani resident, with injuries ranging from minor to critical.
GACA said emergency response teams and relevant authorities intervened immediately following both incidents, implementing established emergency procedures and operational safety plans.
All 36 injured people were transferred to hospitals for medical treatment. The aviation regulator confirmed that both attacks caused material damage, although it did not provide an assessment of the financial losses or identify the specific facilities affected.
Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attacks, with military spokesman Yahya Saree saying the group had targeted the airports using missiles and drones.
Saree said King Khalid International Airport had been targeted with drones, while ballistic missiles and drones were deployed against Abha International Airport. The claims concerning the weapons used could not be independently verified.
The attacks occurred amid escalating military confrontation between the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which receives military backing from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi aviation authorities said they were coordinating with security agencies to assess damage, verify the structural and operational safety of affected facilities and implement measures necessary to protect passengers and airport personnel.
GACA emphasised that maintaining the security and safety of the kingdom’s civil aviation system remained a priority as authorities evaluated the consequences of the strikes.
The attacks have heightened concerns over civilian aviation infrastructure becoming a target of cross-border hostilities. Both airports serve passenger traffic, making the casualties particularly significant for aviation security and emergency preparedness.
Abha International Airport serves the Asir region near Saudi Arabia’s southern border with Yemen, while King Khalid International Airport is the principal international aviation gateway to Riyadh.
The targeting of both facilities demonstrates the geographical reach claimed by the Houthis, although Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed the launch locations or independently established the precise sequence of the attacks.
The Houthi movement has also warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace, adding to uncertainty surrounding regional flight operations as fighting intensifies.
Saudi-led coalition forces have conducted military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen following an escalation in hostilities along the country’s western coastline.
The confrontation has centred partly on territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Houthi fighters have issued competing claims concerning control of positions around the strait, with independent verification of battlefield developments remaining difficult.
The Houthis have also claimed attacks against Aden airport in Yemen, extending the confrontation to additional civilian aviation facilities. No casualties were confirmed from those strikes.
The Saudi-led coalition has reported intercepting incoming missiles and conducting strikes against Houthi military installations, including suspected launch sites.
The renewed fighting follows the breakdown of a prolonged reduction in hostilities between the opposing sides, raising security concerns across areas bordering Yemen.
The civilian casualties at the Saudi airports included foreign residents working or living in the kingdom, underlining the consequences of attacks on transport facilities used by people of different nationalities.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities or ages of those killed, nor have they released a detailed breakdown of the medical conditions of individual patients.
GACA’s statement also did not specify the extent of disruption to scheduled passenger services or provide a timetable for completing inspections of damaged airport facilities.
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