A second projectile struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, killing a Pakistani national and injuring 11 others. The attack came a day after a missile strike on the same airport killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the latest casualties on October 12, according to the Saudi Gazette. The projectile struck Terminal 4 of the airport complex, which houses domestic flight terminals 3 and 4.
An eyewitness aboard a taxiing aircraft told Reuters that a projectile struck the tarmac near parked planes at around 8.30 pm local time on Sunday, causing a fire. The aircraft returned to the gate, and passengers disembarked and were told to leave.
Saudi air defences also intercepted a cruise missile near Riyadh airport, according to a report published on October 11.
In a televised statement on Sunday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack and also announced strikes on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and oil and gas facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed those claims.
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom would continue meeting its commitments to global energy markets, as concerns mounted over attacks on critical infrastructure.
Flights cancelled on Monday after deadly attacks
About 60 per cent of scheduled flights at Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia are expected to be cancelled on Monday, data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed, after attacks from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis killed over a dozen people over the weekend.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh cancelled 99.7 per cent of all scheduled flights on Sunday, according to Cirium.
The Saudi capital's airport remained closed on Sunday after an attack that killed one and left nearly a dozen hurt, which followed another deadly strike claimed by the Houthis the previous day, in which 13 people died and more than 300 were wounded.
Pakistan condemns attack
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack on Riyadh airport and reaffirmed Islamabad's support for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Gazette reported on October 11 that Sharif called the targeting of civilians and vital facilities a violation of international law and urged the Houthis to stop their attacks immediately.
Sharif reiterated Pakistan's commitment to Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and expressed condolences to the Saudi leadership and the families of the victims.
Saturday's death toll rises to 13
Saturday's missile strike on Riyadh airport killed 12 people and injured more than 300, some critically. India's embassy in Saudi Arabia subsequently confirmed that an Indian citizen had died of injuries sustained in the attack, taking the reported death toll to 13.
The latest attacks have heightened concerns over the safety of civilian aviation and the potential for further escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.