A fresh attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has killed one person and injured 11 others, a day after an earlier missile strike killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
The latest attack occurred on Sunday, October 11, when an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 of the airport, triggering a fire, according to Saudi authorities.
The country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation identified the deceased as a Pakistani resident, while the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The incident came less than 24 hours after a deadly missile attack struck the airport complex, which houses Terminals 3 and 4. The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels reported that the earlier attack killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, some of them critically.
The casualties in Saturday’s attack included Saudi nationals and citizens of Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, highlighting the international impact of the assault on one of the kingdom’s major aviation hubs.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack and subsequently announced further operations against Saudi targets, including the Riyadh airport.
The group also claimed to have attacked King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and two facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant, Saudi Aramco.
Saudi air defences reportedly intercepted a cruise missile near King Khalid International Airport following the latest attacks.
The Saudi-led coalition also announced that a drone had been intercepted and destroyed in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, while another ballistic missile launched towards Khamis Mushait was intercepted.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s critical infrastructure and the ability of its air defences to prevent further strikes.
The airport has remained closed following the deadly Saturday attack, with flights disrupted and some services cancelled or diverted.
Saudi Arabia has intensified its military operations against the Houthis amid escalating fighting in Yemen.
The renewed hostilities followed an increase in clashes between Houthi forces and troops loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which Riyadh supports.
The Houthis have warned that further attacks could follow if Saudi Arabia continues its military campaign in Yemen.
The latest escalation has heightened fears that the conflict could spread further across the region and draw additional countries into the fighting.
In response to the security situation, Saudi authorities announced a temporary shift to remote learning for schools in Riyadh.
The British Embassy also advised its citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Jeddah and Dammam and to avoid most airports in the kingdom, while United States aviation authorities urged American airlines to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia.
The attacks have also disrupted aviation activities at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport, where Saudi authorities confirmed a separate strike and commenced assessments of damage and safety inspections.
The incidents have raised fresh concerns about the security of airports and other strategic facilities as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensify.
