'12 dead', projectile 'bang' in one day... Saudi Riyadh Airport attacked again (comprehensive)

(Cairo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Sang-hoon = Just a day after 12 people were killed in a missile attack by Yemen's pro-Iran rebels Houthis, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was attacked again and a fire broke out.

Saudi Arabia's national security crisis is reaching its peak amid a fierce battle with Houthi rebels, with powerful chain explosions sounding even in the middle of downtown Riyadh.

According to the Saudi-led coalition on the 11th (local time), an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 of King Khalid International Airport, causing a fire.

The coalition said that authorities in charge of the scene were directly carrying out firefighting and recovery operations, and that Saudi air defenses intercepted a cruise missile in the sky near the airport.

At least two powerful chain explosions were detected in central and northern Riyadh.

A resident of the Al-Arid area, north of Riyadh, complained to the media about his extreme fear at the time, saying that immediately after the sound of the explosion, birds ran wild in fright and the entire house shook.

This series of attacks took place just one day after a missile strike targeting King Khalid Airport the previous day killed 4 Saudis, 2 Bangladeshis, as well as 12 civilians from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, and other countries, and injured about 300 people.

This was the third airstrike targeting Riyadh Airport in the past week, and the worst loss of life in more than 10 years left the entire Saudi Arabia in deep shock, and Houthi rebels continued to attack again on this day.

Authorities completely suspended Riyadh Airport operations to recover from damage and assess safety, and suspended face-to-face classes for all students and faculty in Riyadh from the 11th to Thursday and urgently switched to remote classes.

Previously, the Houthi rebels said through social media

They threatened, “Except for the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina, Saudi airports are vulnerable to attack and have become operational stages for our military,” and added, “Our warnings must be taken seriously, and responsibility for defense failures lies entirely with Saudi Arabia.”

On this day, the Houthi rebels also claimed that the Yemeni capital Sanaa International Airport, which they control, was attacked again by the Saudi coalition.

Al Masira TV, a media outlet run by the rebels, pointed to Saudi Arabia as the mastermind behind the attack without disclosing specific damage.

The extent of damage to Sanaa Airport is unknown.