Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was attacked again on Saturday and evacuated, two regional officials said. The strike came two days after three Saudi citizens died there, as Saudi Arabia faces a series of assaults tied to the Iran war.
The airport in the Saudi capital was attacked again on Saturday and evacuated, two regional officials said. One official said air traffic to the airport had stopped.
The attack came two days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed there. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Houthis claimed earlier strikes
King Khalid International Airport has been targeted multiple times in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the earlier attacks, including one Wednesday that killed a Sudanese national.
However, the Houthis made no immediate statement Saturday. The Saudi government-run Center for International Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Riyadh resident, Ahmed Sayed, told The Associated Press he heard at least two loud explosions. The airport told passengers to check their flight status with airlines before heading there.
Yemen fighting threatens a shipping corridor
Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces has escalated, with the coalition providing air support to try to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea. That position gave the rebels better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that is a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis have told the AP and others they are only targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade, retaliating for one imposed on them. Even so, concerns about wider attacks persist.
Riyadh seeks allied support
The Saudis have sought support from the U.S. and other allies as airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure have come under attack.
Asked Friday about the Riyadh airport attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters "It's not good". But there has been no immediate sign of U.S. military support.
Source: CNBC
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