What happened

The Saudi-led coalition struck six sites at Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport on 21 December 2021, saying the operation responded to 'threats and the use of the airport's facilities to launch cross-border attacks,' after claiming to have destroyed a drone launched from the airport toward a Saudi airport the previous day. Houthi-run Saba media said the airport had been put out of operation, and an airport official told AFP it could no longer receive aircraft operated by the UN or international humanitarian organizations; a World Food Programme spokesperson was also cited. Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said the strikes would not affect airspace management, air traffic or ground-handling operations, a claim disputed by the airport-damage reporting. No casualty figures were reported. This record introduces this recurring Saudi-led coalition airport-strike pattern, distinct from the later 2026-era Sanaa and Abha entries recorded elsewhere on the site, added following the extension of the backfill window back to 2020.

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.