The latest attack on the international airport in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh killed 12 people and injured over 300 others, civil aviation authorities say, with some in critical condition.
The attack was the deadliest in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war, whose fronts have expanded to include the recent surge in fighting between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi-backed government forces there.
The statement, which did not assign blame for the attack, said the dead included four Saudi citizens as well as two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a US citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. It said the injured were being treated at several hospitals.
The attack — the latest of several in the past week on King Khalid International Airport that killed four people — is expected to increase Saudi pressure on allies including the United States to provide military support for the kingdom.
Shortly after the attack, American president Donald Trump said he was evaluating whether the US should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis.
“We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump said.
“We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.”
In the latest attack, a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights at the Riyadh airport and many people were wounded, one of the regional officials said.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to speak to the media. Ambulances were seen rushing there.
The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure, has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis.
There was no immediate statement from the rebels, who earlier Saturday accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.
The rebels at times take days to claim responsibility.
Riyadh airport operations have been suspended
Saudi civil aviation authorities said operations at the airport had been suspended and the number of wounded and damage were being assessed.
The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed.
Flights diverted elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport.
The attacks on airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, has rattled markets and the region.
Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces in an attempt to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea.
The rebels' gains gave them better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that's a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships.
Though the Houthis have told the AP and others they are only targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them, concerns about wider attacks persist.
The Houthis previously attacked other ships after the war in Gaza began, calling it solidarity with Palestinians. A US bombing campaign ended that.
Saudi Arabia has run low on interceptors, officials say
Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defence support to the region, regional officials told the AP last month, with one noting that the US has seen its own stock dwindle during the war with Iran.
Officials said US assistance has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the latest offensive.
The Saudi and Omani foreign ministers spoke by phone about the importance of “supporting diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions” in the region, the kingdom said Saturday. Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, has played a mediator role at times in the region.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned the public this week that "filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability.”
Flight disruptions are growing
This week, the Houthis warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they described as a theatre for their military operations.
At least 291 flights at the Riyadh airport had been cancelled over the past 24 hours, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines have been among the airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for the next few days.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a “greater focus on aviation infrastructure.”
The missile and drone attacks and interception efforts “create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft,” it said.
In Thursday’s attack, the Saudi national carrier said one of its aircraft was damaged while it was on the ground, with no passengers on board.
SHARE ME