The Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen announced today, Thursday, that Saudi defenses destroyed a drone launched towards Abha International Airport. It noted that debris from the intercepted drone fell around the airport. The coalition reported that there were 12 minor injuries among civilians, including workers and travelers of various nationalities at Abha Airport. Later, the coalition stated that air traffic resumed smoothly at the airport after the usual safety procedures.
The coalition confirmed in a statement that it would take "decisive operational measures in response to threats against civilian airports and travelers," emphasizing that the Houthis have chosen blatant escalation by targeting civilian airports and civilians. It pointed out that "the deliberate targeting of civilian airports by the Houthi militia is a transgression that cannot be overlooked and necessitates deterrence." It added that "critical points in Sana’a used by the Houthis to launch drones will be targeted," urging civilians in Sana’a to "evacuate military-occupied civilian sites within the next 72 hours."
The official spokesperson for the coalition, Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki, stated that "Saudi air defenses managed today, February 10, 2022, at 12:05 PM, to thwart a cross-border hostile act using an explosive drone launched by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia in a systematic and deliberate manner to target civilian travelers and workers at Abha International Airport."
Al-Malki further explained that as a result of the interception, some debris from the drone scattered within the airport’s internal area, causing 12 minor injuries to civilians of various nationalities as follows:
- Two injuries to Saudi citizens.
- Four injuries to residents of Bangladeshi nationality.
- Three injuries to residents of Nepali nationality.
- One injury to a resident of Filipino nationality.
- One injury to a resident of Sri Lankan nationality.
- One injury to a resident of Indian nationality.
Additionally, there were minor material damages due to broken glass in some storefronts.
Al-Malki stated that this brutal attempt to target Abha International Airport and the civilian travelers of different nationalities represents a war crime and underscores the militia’s hostile approach and violation of international humanitarian law and its customary rules, considering Abha International Airport as one of the civilian airports protected under international humanitarian law.
Al-Malki emphasized that the joint forces of the coalition, in light of these hostile acts and the unethical transgressions by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia, would implement necessary operational measures in response to the threat and neutralize sources of threat to ensure the protection of civilian objects and civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law and customary rules.
The coalition announced last Wednesday evening that it had carried out a qualitative operation to address sources of threats and weapons depots in Sana’a. The coalition had previously declared on Tuesday the start of military operations against "legitimate military targets" in the Yemeni capital. It clarified that "the operation comes in response to the threat and military necessity to protect civilians from hostile attacks," according to the Saudi news agency.
