At least 12 people were killed and 309 others wounded in a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s busiest air hub, forcing a full shutdown of passenger services. All flights were grounded, terminals sealed, and operations halted immediately after the assault.
The dead include four Saudi nationals, two citizens of Bangladesh, and one person each from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. These victims represented a diverse group of travelers, reflecting the airport’s international traffic.
Local civil aviation authorities said several of the injured remained in critical condition, according to the BBC. The agency pledged to coordinate medical assistance for those affected.
Eyewitnesses reported that gate 401 in one of the passenger terminals was struck directly, triggering panic as passengers fled. Chaos spread through the concourse as alarms sounded and staff attempted to guide evacuees.
Read Also: Bangladesh’s Economic Zone Struggles with Delays, Low Occupancy
More than a dozen ambulances rushed to the scene while authorities assessed structural damage. Emergency crews worked through the night to extract victims and secure the area.
Flight-tracking data showed that all incoming and outgoing flights had been diverted or cancelled following the strike. Several airlines announced refunds and rebooking options for stranded travelers.
They said the strikes were retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s military support for Yemeni government forces, a years-long blockade, and an earlier air strike on the Houthi-controlled airport in Sanaa. The group framed its actions as defensive measures.
A temporary ceasefire established in 2022 began to unravel in July after the Houthis declared a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia. The embargo disrupted commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea region.
Leave a Reply