The Saudi-led coalition has blamed the Houthis for a deadly attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. The attack killed 12 people and wounded 309, Saudi aviation authorities said. Some of the injured are in serious condition.
A missile hit the complex with terminals 3 and 4, used for domestic flights. The airport has no military facilities. After the attack, its operations were temporarily suspended and flights were diverted to other airports. The Associated Press reported that the attack was the deadliest in a Gulf state since the start of the escalating regional conflict.
The coalition promised retaliatory action
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said the attack was carried out by the “Ansar Allah“ movement, known as the Houthis. He described it as a terrorist act and a war crime.
The coalition also announced that it had destroyed three rocket launchers used by the Houthis. There has been no independent confirmation of all the details of the military action.
Another attack on the airport
The October 10 attack was the second on Riyadh airport in a week. Earlier attacks killed three people, including a pilot for Saudi Arabia's airline, and damaged one of the carrier's planes while on the ground.
The Houthis had previously claimed responsibility for attacks on the airport and said they had used a ballistic missile. However, the group did not immediately comment after the latest strike, according to the Associated Press.
The escalation began after renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. According to “Deutsche Welle“ airstrikes and missile attacks have intensified in recent weeks as the Houthis have expanded their control along the Yemeni coast and in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area.
Sources: apnews.com, rbc.ru, amp.dw.com