Three killed at Riyadh International airport as Yemen war expands

Riyadh International Airport in Saudi Arabia witnessed a tragic incident on Friday, with three fatalities including a pilot, following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government has escalated, with the fighters launching repeated assaults on Saudi targets since launching a swift offensive close to the border.

The Houthis have taken control over vast areas along the Red Sea coast in Yemen, targeting Saudi transport hubs, oil facilities, and other civilian sites in the world’s leading oil exporter. The Saudi civil aviation authority announced that two attacks on Thursday at Riyadh’s airport and a Saudi Airlines plane resulted in the death of three citizens.

The airline mourned the loss of the plane’s captain, describing it as a devastating incident at King Khalid International Airport. Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government, backed by Riyadh, have been struggling to contain the Houthis’ advance despite launching counter-offensives to regain territories, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait that is vital for global energy supply.

A regional source disclosed to AFP that Riyadh would not yield to the Houthis’ military intimidation and would not agree to a ceasefire until the Yemeni government reclaims all the territories lost in recent weeks. The attacks led to diplomats in Riyadh seeking shelter and international schools implementing safety protocols as explosions reverberated across the city on Thursday.

Numerous flights were delayed or canceled at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, and the airport advised travelers to contact airlines before their trips. The kingdom’s civil defense agency reported that interception debris damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh, but it did not mention any casualties or provide further details on the damage.