Saudi-led Arab coalition intercepts Houthi drone targeting Abha airport

The picture shows a view of the damaged hull of a Flyadeal Airbus A320-214 aircraft on the tarmac at Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia, on February 10, 2021. (Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Media via AP/File)

• Attack came just days after a commercial plane caught fire from a Houthi drone at the same airport
• The assaults have sparked international condemnation and calls for sanctions against Houthi leaders

RIYADH: The Saudi-led Arab coalition forces intercepted a drone fired by the Houthi militia toward Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport on Saturday.
The attacks came just days after the Houthis sparked international condemnation after launching an attack on the airport in the southern Asir region, causing a commercial plane to catch fire.
Spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the attack was a war crime that had threatened the lives of civilian travelers.
“We are taking the necessary measures to protect civilians from the threats of the Houthis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s government and experts have warned the US administration earlier this week against supporting a hasty peace settlement that does not include disarming the Houthi group.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Awadh bin Mubarak reminded US President Joe Biden of his previous commitments in 2012 when he was a vice president to support the Yemeni government during the early days of the transitional period.