Riyadh airport attacked again after Houthi missile strike that killed 13 and injured hundreds

Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was targeted in a fresh assault on Sunday, following a devastating missile strike a day earlier that left 13 people dead and more than 300 injured, according to reports by The National.

The Saudi-led military coalition stated that Sunday's incident involved a projectile hitting the facility's Terminal 4, sparking a blaze, while another incoming missile was brought down in the surrounding area. The kingdom's civil aviation authority confirmed that the latest incident caused further casualties, noting that inspectors were examining structural damage and assessing site safety. Flight operations had already been halted following Saturday's deadly bombardment.

The strikes prompted widespread international condemnation. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that attacks against civilian populations and non-military sites violate international law and demanded an immediate end to the violence. Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen, labeled the strikes a grave escalation that threatens wider stability and undermines ongoing diplomatic attempts to resolve Yemen's conflict.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas denounced the airport strike as an appalling act of terror, stressing that assaults on civilian infrastructure cannot be justified. Kallas noted that European foreign ministers plan to deliberate on regional friction and underscored the need for better operational coordination between European naval forces and the Saudi-led maritime coalition.

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the ongoing offensive, stating that the capital's airport was among four Saudi sites hit within a 24-hour window. The group also asserted that it had fired upon Aramco energy infrastructure, including the Shugadam gas installation and the Tanajib refinery, alongside King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Saudi officials did not verify the claims concerning those additional locations. A Houthi military spokesman warned international cargo firms, aviation personnel, and passengers to steer clear of Saudi air facilities and sovereign airspace due to future risks.

Diplomatic missions confirmed several foreign casualties from Saturday's blast. India's embassy in Riyadh stated that an injured Indian citizen had succumbed to their wounds, with officials coordinating the repatriation of the individual's remains. Egypt announced the death of a 28-year-old female flight attendant working for a regional airline, while Jordan reported that one of its citizens was killed and four others suffered injuries. A Syrian national was also among the deceased.

Reactions across the Middle East and worldwide were swift. Regional partners including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Egypt denounced the assault as a severe breach of Saudi sovereignty and international norms. Leaders and foreign ministries from Pakistan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Israel, Iraq, and Russia also issued statements condemning the violence, urging respect for humanitarian law, and calling for regional protection measures or renewed diplomatic efforts.