Riyadh:The US Mission in Saudi Arabia has issued a security warning to American citizens following increasing hostilities involving Yemen's Houthi group and Saudi Arabia.
According to Philippines News Agency, the warning was prompted by Iranian-supported Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, leading to civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The US Mission cautioned that the situation could rapidly escalate beyond the immediate area, posing potential security threats and disruptions to commercial air travel.
The advisory highlighted the risks of potential attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations, and travel disruptions, urging US citizens to exercise extreme caution if they choose to travel via airports in Saudi Arabia. The warning came amid escalating tensions between the Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen's internationally recognized government.
On the same day, the Saudi-led coalition announced the interception and destruction of two drones over the Riyadh region, without identifying the origin of the drones. Meanwhile, Saudi Civil Defense issued an all-clear for the cities of Abha and Najran and the governorates of Khamis Mushait and Taif, following alerts in those areas, although the nature of the threats prompting these warnings was not specified.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for targeting Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia with two drones over the past 48 hours, causing disruptions to air traffic. Saudi Arabia has been leading a military coalition against the Houthis since March 2015 after the group seized Yemen's capital Sanaa and other regions in 2014.
