Yemen's Houthis say target Saudi airports with bomb-laden drones

Houthis

SANAA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi militia said they targeted Abha airport and King Khaled Airbase in Khamis Mushait city in southwestern Saudi Arabia, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Monday.

"Three bomb-laded drones carried out the attacks that hit the military targets accurately," the television quoted Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea as saying.

The attacks were launched on Sunday night, according to other Houthi online media.

However, the Saudi-led coalition said in a statement earlier on Monday that it intercepted and destroyed "an explosive-laden drone fired by the Houthi militia from Yemen towards Saudi city of Khamis Mushait," Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported.

The Houthis have stepped up cross-border attempted attacks against Saudi cities and oil facilities. Most of the attacks were foiled by the Saudi-led coalition forces.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis seized control of several northern Yemeni provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in 2015 to support Hadi's government.