Saudi Arabia downs Iranian-backed threat on eve of Israel-UAE flight

The United Arab Emirates condemned an Iranian-backed Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport overnight. The attack was intercepted by aircraft from Saudi Arabia. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are allies against the Houthis who have fired missiles and drones at the Saudi Kingdom. The UAE says that its defense relations with Riyadh work to protect both the Emirates and Saudi Arabia as the security of both are indivisible, according to an article at Al-Ain media.

The recent attack involved a booby-trapped drone that sought to attack Abha airport. Houthis, using Iranian technology, have attacked this airport in southern Saudi Arabia, many times. Arab News reported that the coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki said that some shrapnel fell on the airport as the drone was destroyed. The coalition will deter the Houthis, he said. The Saudi-led coalition includes Riyadh’s allies and those fighting the Iranian-backed group. Iran has used drones and cruise missiles to attack Saudi Arabia.

In August 2019 the Houthis attacked the Shaybah oil field near the border with the UAE. The Houthis used drones in the attack that was some 1,200 kilometers from where the drones were allegedly launched from. It is not clear how the Houthis achieved this range since Iranian drones usually boast only a 1,000km range. At the time the Voice of America noted that this represented an increased Houthi threat to the UAE. In 2018 the Houthis even claimed drones had penetrated UAE airspace, which the UAE denied.

Since those threats the Saudis and Emirates have increased their abilities with the coalition in Riyadh to confront these types of drones and threats. Saudi air defense has become more proficient at stopping a plethora of threats from Yemen.

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