King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was attacked again on the 10th (local time), AP, AFP, and Reuters reported, citing witnesses and local officials.
This is at least the third time that King Khalid Airport has been attacked since Yemen's pro-Iran rebels Houthis announced a large-scale attack targeting Saudi airports and oil refineries on the 5th.
AFP reported a diplomatic source saying that rebel Houthis attacked civilian facilities around 3 p.m. on this day, and that Riyadh's airport was one of the facilities attacked.
Citing another source, AFP said dozens of people were injured, some were transported by helicopter and at least five were in intensive care. Most of the injured were reported to be Saudi nationals.
Two local Saudi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that King Khalid Airport had been attacked again and that the airport had been evacuated and air operations suspended.
Riyadh resident Ahmed Sayed also told the AP that he heard at least two loud explosions in the capital that day.
Reuters reported that a loud explosion was heard at the airport that day, and about 10 ambulances were seen moving toward the airport while the airport was being evacuated.
The airport issued a short notice asking passengers to check with their airline for flight availability before departing for the airport.
There was no official announcement from the Saudi government about what specific attack was carried out that day or whether there was any damage.
The Houthis also did not immediately release a statement regarding the attack.
Houthi spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Sari previously claimed that they had attacked King Khalid Airport on the 5th, the Aramco oil refinery in the western coastal city of Rabigh, the southwestern Abha International Airport and the nearby Hamas Mushait Air Base, and military facilities in the Asir, Nazir, and Jazan regions. Since then, they have attacked Riyadh with ballistic missiles almost every day.
The Saudi Arabian Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) announced that Riyadh's King Khalid Airport and Abha Airport were attacked on the 6th and 7th, killing a total of 3 people, including citizens of Sudan, Morocco, and Algeria, and 36 people, including Saudi citizens, were injured, and that 3 Saudi nationals, including a Saudi airline captain, were killed in two attacks targeting King Khalid Airport on the 8th.
Due to the series of attacks targeting the airport, airlines are also announcing the suspension of flights to Riyadh.
Kuwait Airways announced today that it was canceling flights to and from Riyadh due to the airport's closure due to a "security situation." Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also canceled many flights to and from Riyadh, while Lufthansa Group and Air India also suspended flights to Riyadh.
On the 4th, the Saudi-led coalition and Yemeni government forces declared the launch of Operation 'Dawn of Yemen' to recapture Yemeni territory controlled by the Houthis, and set out to recapture major bases in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, including Dubab and Mocha.
The Houthis are engaging the Yemeni government forces on the ground while simultaneously counterattacking with ballistic missiles targeting the Saudi mainland, which provides air support to the Yemeni forces.
