LONDON: The US said it is committed to supporting Saudi Arabia in the defense of its people and territory from Houthi attacks on Thursday. The reiteration of commitment came after the Houthis launched a cross-border attack on Abha airport in which 12 civilians were injured at midday Arabia Standard Time. The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said Saudi air defenses thwarted a cross-border attack at 12:05 p.m that involved a booby-trapped drone launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in a deliberate attempt to target civilians at the airport. “The United States strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack against Abha in Saudi Arabia, which injured at least a dozen innocent civilians,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.  He promised to work with the US’ Saudi and international partners to hold the Houthis accountable. “America will have the backs of our friends in the region,” he added. The UN also condemned the attack on Abha airport. “We condemn this and all attacks that target civilian infrastructure,” the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, said. The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia Neil Crompton also “strongly condemned” the attack. “I wish the injured a speedy recovery, and I call on the Houthis to end the violence,” the diplomat said. The UAE called the Houthi attack “a cowardly terrorist act and a war crime that requires a deterrent response.” It called on the international community to support measures taken by the coalition to stop the Houthis targeting civilian objects and deter them from threatening countries in the region.