Saudi Arabia: commercial plane on fire after Houthi attack

A commercial plane caught fire in southern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the result of an attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels on Abha airport. The fire has been brought under control, state television said, citing the coalition supporting the Yemeni government since 2015 and which is led by Saudi Arabia. The type of attack carried out was not specified, but the coalition said earlier that it had intercepted two armed drones led by the Houthis towards southern Saudi Arabia. The airliner was parked at the airport, which has already been targeted several times by the Houthis.

“A cowardly attack has been launched by the Houthi terrorist militia against Abha International Airport. A plane on the ground suffered a fire, which was brought under control, ”the television said. “Necessary measures have been taken to protect civilians”. “Targeting Abha airport is a war crime and endangers the lives of civilian travelers,” the channel added, citing the coalition.

The official target was a military aircraft parking area

Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack in the aftermath, claiming to have targeted a “military objective”. “The drone units targeted the military aircraft parking areas at Abha Airport, which is used for military purposes to target the Yemeni people, with four drones,” the military spokesman said. insurgents.

The Houthi foreign “minister” said in Sana’a on Tuesday that insurgent operations targeting Saudi Arabia were being carried out in response to Saudi air force raids in Yemen. “I have a message to the new US administration and the Saudis: Stop your attacks and we will stop our attacks on you. It’s as simple as that ”, proclaimed Hicham Charaf. According to him, the rebels intervened in the region of Marib, a bastion of power, against “movements of extremist groups” which had come to strengthen forces loyal to President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The Saudi air force intervened against the rebels and “we found ourselves obliged to retaliate,” he said.

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The Saudi-led coalition announced the interception on Sunday and Monday of two drones fired from Yemen. The United States on Sunday called on the Houthis “to immediately cease attacks affecting civilian areas inside Saudi Arabia and to end any further military offensive in Yemen.” France on Tuesday called on the Houthis to put an end to their “destabilizing actions”, saying it was “very concerned” by their offensive on Marib and denouncing “the ongoing escalation, both in Yemen and against the Saudi Arabia “.

The war in Yemen has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, according to international organizations, and caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. The Houthis are backed by Shia Iran, a regional rival to Sunni Saudi Arabia.