“The Coalition”: Targeting King Khalid Airport “a terrorist attack that amounts to a war crime”
Quick Look
The Saudi-led coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen said that the Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others, describing it as a terrorist act and a war crime in accordance with international humanitarian law, stressing that it will be responded firmly and in accordance with international law.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
This attack comes hours after the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced the suspension of operational operations at King Khalid Airport due to blatant attacks, and after the Houthis announced a new wave of attacks on the Riyadh and Najran airports and the King Khalid Air Base.
The Saudi-led “Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen” coalition said on Sunday that the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was a “terrorist act,” after the attack killed at least 12 people and injured hundreds.
The coalition said in a statement: "The terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi militia on one of the passenger lounges at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and the resulting deaths and injuries among civilian passengers and airport workers, amounts to a full-fledged war crime according to international humanitarian law."
The coalition explained that it would respond to "the terrorist attack firmly and in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules."
The Houthis launched an attack on King Khalid Airport, and the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said it resulted in “the death of 12 people, including 4 citizens and 8 residents: two of Bangladeshi nationality, and one each of American, Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, Palestinian, and Sudanese nationalities.”
The authority added that the attack resulted in the injury of 309 others and they are receiving the necessary health care, “including critical injuries.”
This came hours after the Authority, on Saturday evening, suspended operational operations at King Khalid Airport, due to what it described as “blatant attacks.”
On Friday, the authority announced two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, the first targeting its facilities and the second a Saudi Airlines plane, resulting in the death of 3 citizens and a number of injuries.
On Thursday, the Houthis announced a new wave of attacks targeting two civilian airports - Riyadh Airport and Najran Airport, near the southern border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen - in addition to the King Khalid Air Base of the Saudi Air Force.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The coalition will increase its security and military measures in response to the attack
Very likely · Within days
The conflict between the coalition and the Houthis may escalate as the scope of objectives expands
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What actions will the coalition take in response to the attack?
- Will this escalation lead to expanding the scope of military operations in Yemen?
- What guarantees will the Saudi authorities provide to protect airports and civilians?
