Yemeni Forces Shoot Down Saudi Drone Amid Airport Strikes

The Yemeni military shot down a Royal Saudi Air Force Wing Loong II reconnaissance drone over Sa'ada province on Tuesday. This interception occurred as Houthi rebels reported multiple overnight Saudi airstrikes targeting the Jawf province, the Qanawis district near Hodeida, and the Red Sea island of Kamaran.

These developments follow a surge of Yemeni attacks against Saudi infrastructure. A ballistic missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday caused at least 13 deaths and hundreds of injuries, forcing Saudi authorities to suspend operations at the facility. Additionally, a drone strike targeted King Khalid Air Base near Khamis Mushait. In Riyadh, air raid sirens sounded and explosions were heard on Monday evening as the conflict intensified.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree warned international travelers to avoid Saudi airports, with the exception of those serving Mecca and Medina. The current escalation stems from a July Saudi bombing of Sana’a’s international airport, which prompted a Yemeni embargo on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and the seizure of the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Amid the instability, Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, called for increased security coordination among Gulf countries to protect maritime routes and energy infrastructure in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.