A senior UAE official called for stronger Gulf security and defence cooperation on Monday as regional governments backed Saudi Arabia following Houthi missile attacks that killed 14 people at Riyadh’s international airport over the weekend.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said attacks on Saudi Arabia undermined the security of the Emirates and every other Gulf state.
Writing on X, he warned that “we are all targeted” and said failures in collective defence had encouraged attacks on the region.
“Gulf security is a shared responsibility that allows no room for complacency or delay,” he said.
Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. The death toll rose from 12 after an injured Indian citizen died on Sunday, according to authorities.
A separate attack on Sunday killed a Pakistani national and injured 11, Saudi authorities said. Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia in a statement on Sunday condemning the attacks and supporting the kingdom’s right to defend itself.
The three backed Saudi measures to counter the attacks and prevent their recurrence, provided they complied with the UN Charter and international law, and demanded an immediate, unconditional end to Houthi attacks and held the group responsible for their consequences.
Ankara, Cairo and Islamabad did not announce any new military deployment.
France also said on Sunday it would continue supporting the Gulf kingdom in defending its territory and infrastructure. Its foreign ministry said a French woman was among those wounded in Saturday’s attack.
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday it remained ready to help mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers had discussed developments by telephone on Sunday.
Qatar warns of global energy damage
Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi warned that the wider regional conflict had caused “by far, the world’s worst energy crisis”, affecting the flow of around 20% of global oil and gas supplies.
Speaking at the International Energy Forum’s ministerial meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, he expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
Al-Kaabi, who also heads QatarEnergy, said attacks on energy facilities across the region had caused tens of billions of dollars in damage and severe volatility in global markets.
He urged the forum to examine ways to protect energy infrastructure during conflict and safeguard supply flows.
“Energy security must unite us, not divide us. It must be protected, not weaponized,” he said.
Riyadh airport closure extended
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh airport on Monday as it continued checks on the safety and readiness of its facilities. It did not announce when it would reopen.
The Saudi-led coalition also said on Monday it was responding to a drone and cruise-missile threat against the kingdom. Its statement did not identify the intended targets or report any damage.
Almost all scheduled flights at the airport were cancelled on Sunday, according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium.
Air France and KLM have suspended flights to Riyadh through 31 October, while Lufthansa Group’s cancellations run through Friday.
In Yemen, the Houthi-run health ministry said airstrikes on the capital Sana'a around midnight killed one person and wounded 12. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia, which did not immediately comment.