Yemen Houthi rebels target Saudi Arabia's Jizan airport in new drone attacks

The Iran-linked group last month claimed several drone attacks targeting oil installations and airports in Saudi Arabia.

Houthi drone attacks briefly shut down a major oil pipeline in the kingdom, as well as allegedly targeting military installations at Najran airport. Saudi Arabia confirmed the attacks but claimed the Houthis had attempted to strike civilian infrastructure at the airport.

Airports in the Middle East are frequently home to both civilian and military aviation bases.

The group on Sunday said it had targeted the Jizan airport near the border with Yemen using multiple drone strikes.

The attacks targeted drone bunkers, the Houthis said.

There has not been Saudi confirmation of the attacks so far.

Saudi Arabia said in late May it had shot down a bomb-laden drone attempting to hit Jizan airport, although the Houthis had earlier claimed the drone had targeted military infrastructure at the airport.

The Houthis have rejected Saudi claims that their attacks are directed by Iran, instead blaming the attacks on Riyadh's rejection of peace initiatives in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has been at the helm of an international coalition at war in Yemen since 2015.

The war has resulted in the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN.

The recent drone attacks have come alongside heightening tensions in the Gulf.

Increased US military presence in the region and a series of mysterious sabotage attacks on oil tankers - which the US and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran - have sent tensions between Iran and many Arab Gulf states to boiling point.