A new projectile attack targeted Terminal 4 of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, killing one Pakistani national and injuring 11 others as Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed.
The assault comes just a day after a devastating strike at the same airport killed 13 people and wounded over 300. The two-day death toll at the Riyadh facility now stands at 18.
Saudi air defenses intercepted additional cruise missiles and drones over the Eastern Province, Khamis Mushait and near Dammam's King Fahd International Airport where tarmac fires caused flight cancellations and delays.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the operations which also targeted Saudi Aramco oil facilities. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned of further escalations unless Saudi air strikes in Yemen cease.
In response to the safety threat, Saudi authorities shifted Riyadh schools to remote learning through Thursday. International bodies including US aviation authorities and the British embassy issued travel cautions for the region. Meanwhile the high-level international energy conferences in Riyadh proceeded despite the proximity of the attacks though several foreign officials altered their travel plans.
The multi-day strikes highlight critical vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia's defense network as its coalition intensifies air campaigns against Houthi forces in Yemen.
