Abha Attack Causes Flight Cancellations Across Southern Saudi Arabia

A Houthi missile strike on Abha International Airport, carried out in retaliation for a Saudi bombing of Sana'a airport, led to the shutdown of the airport and the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Airlines such as Flydubai, Air Arabia, Flyadeal, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Egypt’s Nile Air and Saudi carrier NAS cancelled or delayed services to and from Abha, Najran and Jizan, with 305 total cancellations and delays recorded across the Kingdom. The United Kingdom, Canada and the United States issued travel advisories warning against travel to southern Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration extended closures at Najran and Jizan airports and issued pilot alerts for Shuroor and Bisha. While the airport resumed limited domestic operations, many international flights remain suspended. The incident has intensified anti‑Saudi sentiment in Yemen, with political commentators calling for an end to Saudi “guardianship” over Yemen and warning of broader regional fallout from the ongoing Saudi‑Yemen conflict.