Saudi Arabia’s energy minister has pledged a “serious” response to a series of deadly attacks on the kingdom’s airports and energy infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman made the statement at the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, emphasizing that the recent violence requires an equally forceful reaction from the Saudi government.
Riyadh Airport Strikes and Casualties
The escalation began on Thursday when two strikes hit facilities at King Khalid International Airport, killing three Saudis, including a pilot for the national carrier Saudia. Two days later, a missile struck Terminal 3, killing 13 people and forcing the terminal to close. The victims included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian, one Sudanese, and one Indian.
On Sunday, a projectile hit Terminal 4, killing a Pakistani resident. The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the attack and stated that King Khalid Airport would remain closed until Saturday. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was also targeted on Sunday evening, though no casualties were reported there.
Explosions were heard again in Riyadh on Monday night. The Saudi-led military coalition stated that its forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis. A Houthi spokesperson later confirmed that the group had targeted the airport again.
Airline Suspensions and Regional Disruption
The violence has caused immediate disruptions to air travel in the region. Qatar Airways announced it would temporarily suspend flights to Riyadh and the north-eastern city of Dammam. Etihad Airways cancelled flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, as well as routes to Jeddah and Dammam, citing “regional disruption”.
Prince Abdul Aziz thanked industry executives and policymakers for attending the energy congress despite the security threats. He acknowledged that the attacks had tested Saudi infrastructure and resilience but insisted the country would overcome the challenges. “We, as Saudis, are fearless, combatant and determined people,” he said. “We shall prove it to the world that whatever we are going through we will overcome it.”
Houthi Justification and International Reaction
The Houthi-run health ministry reported that a child was killed and six others injured in a Saudi air strike on a home in Sanaa on Sunday. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated in a video that the group launched missiles and drones at Riyadh and Dammam airports, as well as two oil and gas facilities in the Eastern Province. He cited 124 Saudi air strikes in Yemen over the previous 24 hours as the reason for the retaliation.
Sarea warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace, except for journeys to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. He vowed that the group would continue escalating operations inside Saudi Arabia until the “aggression ceases and the siege on our dear people is lifted.”
The attacks drew widespread international condemnation. UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed being “deeply shocked” and warned that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law. US President Donald Trump stated he would make a decision about whether the United States joins Saudi Arabia’s strikes on the Houthis. The US military is reportedly already providing intelligence and targeting support to the Saudi-led coalition.
Iran, which denies providing weapons and training to the Houthis, said it was “deeply concerned” by the escalation and called for dialogue. The conflict in Yemen has devastated the country since the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa in 2014. The situation worsened in July when the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, leading to missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities.
Source: BBC
