Three people were killed and 36 others injured in separate attacks targeting two international airports in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said.
Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were targeted in separate incidents on October 6 and 7.
At Abha International Airport, two residents, from Morocco and Algeria, were killed, while 28 people were injured. GACA said the injuries ranged from minor to serious. The injured included two Saudi citizens and residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines.
At King Khalid International Airport, a Sudanese national was killed and eight people were injured. Those injured included five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and one Pakistani national.
All the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. The attacks also caused material damage at both airports.
Authorities Assess Damage
GACA said emergency services and other relevant authorities responded to both incidents.
The aviation authority said it was coordinating with security agencies to assess the damage and check the safety of airport facilities.
Authorities are also taking measures to protect passengers, airport employees and civil aviation operations, GACA said.
Houthis Claim Responsibility
Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport with drones and Abha International Airport with ballistic missiles and drones.
The Houthis later claimed that they had launched another ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport, saying it had struck its target and disrupted airport operations. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the latest claim or the extent of any disruption.
The attacks came amid continuing tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Saudi Arabia has led the coalition’s military intervention in Yemen since March 2015. The latest attacks have further raised tensions in the region.
