Deadly Attacks Put Saudi Airports on Alert
News Desk
RIYADH: Attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia have reportedly killed 18 people and injured hundreds over the past week, as tensions escalate between Saudi forces and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
According to reports, an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, triggering a fire. Saudi authorities reported one death and 11 injuries in the latest incident, which came a day after an attack that reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300.
Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen said the projectile struck the airport terminal, while Saudi air defence systems reportedly intercepted a cruise missile near the airport. A drone was also destroyed in the Eastern Province, and officials said a ballistic missile targeting Khamis Mushait had been intercepted.
Saudi Civil Defense said emergency alerts were issued in the southern city of Abha on Monday morning. Authorities later announced that the threat had passed.
The reported fatalities from the attacks included four Saudi citizens and several foreign nationals. Among those killed in Saturday’s incident was 46-year-old Mohammed Yusuf, an Indian national.
Yahya Saree, military spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, claimed responsibility for the Riyadh airport attack in a televised statement on Sunday. He also said the group had targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, as well as two facilities operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco.
Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed an incident at Dammam Airport on Sunday night, saying officials were assessing the damage and conducting safety inspections.
According to Reuters, a witness aboard an aircraft at Dammam Airport said a projectile-like object fell onto the runway near several parked aircraft at around 8:30 pm local time, starting a fire. The aircraft was subsequently returned to the gate, and passengers were instructed to disembark and move away from the affected area.
Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 reported delays and cancellations affecting numerous flights arriving at and departing from Dammam Airport, Saudi Arabia’s third-largest airport.
On Sunday, the Houthis issued another warning over the use of Saudi airports, saying Riyadh would bear responsibility if efforts to stop the attacks failed.
The British Embassy advised British nationals in Saudi Arabia to undertake only essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and other Saudi airports, including Medina Airport. US aviation authorities also urged airlines to exercise caution when operating flights to Saudi Arabia or through its airspace.
The attacks have taken place as Saudi Arabia intensifies its military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. Houthi rebels seized key locations along the Red Sea coast last month, prompting a counter-offensive by forces loyal to Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.
The Houthis claimed that Saudi Arabia had carried out 124 airstrikes in Yemen over the previous 24 hours. The group’s Foreign Ministry warned that the situation could deteriorate further unless Riyadh halted its military operations and what it described as interference in Yemeni affairs.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington was considering joining Saudi-led military operations against the Houthis. The developments come amid a broader regional confrontation involving Iran, following military action launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had informed his Saudi counterpart that Tehran was ready to facilitate negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen as regional tensions continue to rise.
