The infamous Houthi rebels, who are known for their usage of weaponized drones, had recently launched another drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport. The attack took place on July 3, 2019. Two drone aided attacks were launched on the airport which left 9 civilians wounded. Missile laden drones and explosive carriers are becoming a major security threat around the world. The ongoing war in Yemen is an apt example of modern-day drone warfare.
The Houthi drones
A Saudi-led coalition spokesperson said that another potential drone was intercepted and downed two days post the attack on Abha airport. The attack on the airport targeted mainly the air traffic control tower and other sensitive locations in Saudi Arabia. This led to a significant disruption in air traffic. In prior weeks, the rebels had also targeted cities of Abha and Najran, as well as the King Khaled air base in Khamis Mushait.
Iranian drones have helped change the face of the war. The drones used by the rebels closely resemble the Iranian Ababil-T drones. The 150 Km range, precision UAVs can deliver payloads of up to 45Kg. The use of Drone boats has also boosted this technological warfare amongst both the groups. Use of UAVs has wrecked severe havoc on both sides. This also highlights the dangers of drone technology. Military drones keep getting better every day. Russia already has an autonomous firing drone which recognizes and guns down targets from mid-air. Thus, countries all across the world are calling for better drone control laws and impenetrable UTM systems which can enforce the highest possible airspace security.
