Attack on Saudi airport leaves 12 dead, dozens wounded
Hospitals were overwhelmed after more than 300 people were wounded in an attack claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Smoke and flames engulfed King Khalid Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, marking the third attack on the Saudi international airport within a week. The assault resulted in at least 12 fatalities and over 300 injuries, according to Saudi authorities, while the Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility. The deceased comprised four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and individuals from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt.
The wounded were swiftly transported to hospitals, where a critical number required immediate attention.
Unlike the preceding two strikes, Saturday's attack came without any prior notice from Saudi Arabia's threat warning system. The previous two assaults on King Khalid International Airport on Friday and the day before left four people dead and inflicted significant damage on a Saudi commercial aircraft. These recent strikes have underscored the vulnerabilities of Saudi Arabia's defense mechanisms as it pursues an air campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The kingdom and Yemeni government claim hundreds of strikes on Houthi targets, while the rebels maintain that these attacks have resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children.
All flights were redirected away from Riyadh on Saturday, and the airport, which serves a metropolis of approximately 8 million inhabitants, was temporarily shut down. The Houthi media office, via a post on X, announced that the group had effectively shut down Riyadh's international airport. US President Donald Trump, when questioned by reporters about Washington's stance on the matter, stated that the US might consider joining the Saudi strikes, pending further review.
Meanwhile, the city of Riyadh, which was scheduled to host significant energy and investment conferences, faced disruptions as all flights were either diverted or canceled. Despite the turmoil, conference organizers assured attendees that security would not be compromised.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Attack on Riyadh airport leaves 12 dead, more than 300 injured middleeasteye.net
- Attack on Saudi airport leaves 12 dead, dozens wounded freemalaysiatoday.com
