What happened

A day after the Sanaa airport runway strike, Iran-backed Houthi forces launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport on 14 July, in what wire reporting described as a sharp escalation breaking a roughly four-year lull in direct Houthi-Saudi strikes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree issued warnings against flying through Saudi airspace. The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles launched toward the southern region without providing further detail on damage or casualties, and none were reported. The UN Security Council convened an emergency session amid concern over the escalation. This is a distinct, earlier strike from the separately recorded 8 September 2026 claimed Houthi attack on Abha airport.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.