Yemen's Houthis have renewed their warning to airlines, airport staff and travellers not to use Saudi airports. The group said the warning should be taken "seriously", a day after an attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport that killed at least 12 people and wounded 309.
The Houthis also said Saudi Arabia was responsible for "failed interceptions" of the targets. The claim is part of the group's stance, which in recent days has warned international airlines not to fly through Saudi airspace.
Saudi authorities blamed the Iran-backed Houthis for the attack in Riyadh. According to the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, the dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. Some of the wounded were in critical condition, the Associated Press reported.
Third airport attack in a week
Saturday's attack was the third against Riyadh airport in the same week. The previous two strikes hit airport facilities, and Saudi authorities reported deaths and injuries. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the earlier attacks and said they used missiles and drones.
Following the latest strike, flights to Riyadh were suspended or diverted. Previously, airlines such as „Air India“, „Flydubai“, „Lufthansa“ and „Pakistan International Airlines“ were among the carriers that canceled flights to Riyadh and other Saudi airports for various periods.
Expanded airspace warnings
The European Aviation Safety Agency has expanded the area in Saudi airspace in which it advises airlines not to operate. The agency cited missile and drone attacks, air defense systems, interception of targets and falling debris as risks.
The OPSGROUP organization, which exchanges information on flight risks, recommended that its members avoid operations in Saudi Arabia altogether, including using Saudi airports as backups. Earlier, “Flydubai“ announced that flights to Riyadh and Yanbu were canceled until October 10 inclusive, and those to Abha - until October 11 inclusive.
The Houthis did not specify a deadline for their warning to be lifted. No specific timetable has been announced for the restoration of all flights to the affected Saudi airports.