Three Saudi nationals, including an airline pilot, were killed when a Houthi strike hit Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Thursday. An aircraft belonging to the national carrier Saudia was damaged.
On Saturday, a Houthi missile struck the airport’s passenger terminal for domestic flights. At least 13 people were killed and more than 300 wounded. Among the dead was Buthaina Ahmad Oweida, a 56-year-old widowed mother of four from Idlib province, Syria. The airport was evacuated and ambulances were sent to the scene.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, claimed responsibility for the Saturday attack. He said it was retaliation for Saudi strikes in Yemen, including attacks on civilian infrastructure.
A further Houthi strike on Sunday killed one person and injured 11 others. A projectile started a fire in a passenger hall.
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The Houthis said they had used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against the airport in the past 24 hours. They also warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi Arabian airports and airspace. The group has stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabian soil in recent weeks.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation temporarily suspended airport operations. Incoming flights were diverted, while departures were delayed or cancelled.
Saturday’s strike was the deadliest single attack on a Gulf Arab country since the war between Israel, the US and Iran began in February. The Saudi-led coalition called the attack a 'war crime'.
US President Donald Trump described Saturday’s attack as 'terrible' and indicated that he may intervene militarily with the Saudis. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks and confirmed that a US citizen was killed in the strikes.
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