US condemns Houthi attack in Saudi Arabia

After a civilian airplane has been damaged in Saudi Arabia in a Houthi attack, the United States on Wednesday (local time) condemned the attack, and said that the US will not let the Houthi leadership in Yemen 'off the hook' for such attacks.

"We condemn the Houthi attack today that damaged a civilian airliner at the Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia," said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price during a press briefing.

He further commented that the Houthis continue the desire to prolong the war by attacking Saudi Arabia and endangering civilians, and reiterated the US commitment to support Saudi Arabia and defending it against threats.

"Houthi leadership will find themselves sorely mistaken if they think this administration is going to let off the pressure, is going to let them off the hook for the reprehensible conduct that they continue to undertake," he added.

He urged Houthis to stop these aggressive attacks and demonstrate a true commitment to constructively engage in peace negotiations.

A civilian plane at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia caught fire because of an attack carried out by the Houthis, the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen said on Wednesday. The coalition said the situation at the airport is under control, reported Sputnik.

However, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria said the opposition movement hit warplane airfields at the Abha airport via four drones on Wednesday afternoon and the strike "was accurate."

The attack coincided with US Special Envoy Timothy Lenderking's first trip to the region and his efforts to end the war in Yemen.

Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi rebels since 2014, according to Sputnik.

( With inputs from ANI )