Somalia Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia has condemned attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement on Saudi Arabian airports, expressing solidarity with Riyadh as a series of strikes has killed civilians, disrupted air travel and heightened security concerns across the region.

In a statement, Somalia’s federal government condemned the reported attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, saying strikes on civilian infrastructure threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, regional stability and international law.

Mogadishu called for an immediate halt to attacks targeting civilian facilities and extended condolences to the families of those killed, while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. The government also said security in the Gulf and the Red Sea was closely linked to Somalia’s own national interests.

The condemnation comes amid a widening series of attacks on Saudi aviation infrastructure. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported on October 7 that earlier strikes on Abha and Riyadh airports had killed three people and injured 36 others. The victims included Moroccan and Algerian women killed in Abha and a Sudanese national killed in Riyadh.

Further attacks struck King Khalid International Airport on Thursday, October 8, killing three Saudi nationals, including Saudia airline captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, and injuring several other people, according to Saudi authorities. The attacks targeted airport facilities and an aircraft belonging to Saudi Arabia’s national carrier. Yemen’s Houthi movement said it had launched two cruise missiles at the Riyadh airport, while its claims of attacks on other Saudi sites had not all been confirmed by Saudi authorities.

The latest strikes have disrupted regional air travel, with several international airlines suspending or cancelling flights to Riyadh. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also expanded its warning over Saudi airspace, citing the risk posed by missile and drone activity, air-defence interceptions and falling debris.

The escalation coincides with renewed fighting in Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces have launched an offensive against Houthi positions along the country’s western coast near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for international shipping between Europe, Asia and the Indian Ocean.

The renewed fighting has raised concerns about the potential for further regional escalation and disruption to maritime and aviation routes. The Houthis have said their attacks on Saudi targets are linked to Riyadh’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is seeking to retake territory held by the group.

Instability around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden carries particular strategic significance for Somalia as the country’s extensive coastline lies along key maritime routes, and disruptions to shipping or regional security can affect trade, transport and the wider Horn of Africa.

Somalia’s statement did not specify further diplomatic measures in response to the attacks. Its call to protect civilian infrastructure comes as governments across the region face growing pressure to contain the conflict and prevent further harm to civilians.