Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Riyadh International Airport was struck for the third time in a week, killing at least 12 people and injuring 309. All flights were diverted to other airports, and governments in the West have urged their citizens to avoid the area. According to a statement from Saudi civil aviation officials, the victims included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese. The Saudi government has not yet released a detailed casualty list. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack. However, Reuters reports that the Yemen-based Houthi movement, which is allied with Iran, has been conducting frequent missile strikes against Saudi targets and has admitted responsibility for the first two attacks of the week. The Houthis released a message before the most recent strike stating that only humanitarian aid flights were permitted to land at Riyadh airport, adding a brief reminder. The attack exposed gaps in Saudi Arabia’s defensive capabilities. The country is currently conducting airstrikes against the Houthis and supporting the Yemeni government’s ground offensive against the Iranian‑backed group. Saudi officials have not yet responded to inquiries about the incident or the number of casualties. The assault occurred without warning; Saudi security warning systems did not issue an alert. Injured passengers were transported to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter. The airport, the busiest in the kingdom and serving the city of Riyadh’s 8 million residents, was temporarily closed following the attack. Earlier this week, a Houthi attack killed four people and severely damaged a Saudi civil aircraft. U.S. President Donald Trump was asked at the White House about the possibility of the United States joining Saudi airstrikes against the Houthis. Trump said, “It’s possible. We’ll evaluate. We just learned about this latest attack and will decide. We act very quickly.”
Article source: United Daily News | Image credit: United Daily News