Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh came under another attack on Sunday, October 11, killing a Pakistani national and injuring 11 others, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The attack, which took place in the afternoon, also caused material damage, the extent of which is still being assessed.
The latest incident came just a day after Saturday’s attack on the airport, described as one of the deadliest attacks on Saudi Arabia in almost a decade.
Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile near King Khalid International Airport. The coalition also reported that Terminal 4 had been struck by an unidentified projectile, triggering a fire.
Separately, GACA said King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was targeted on Sunday evening. Damage assessments and safety inspections were underway following the incident.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed on Sunday that an Indian national, who was among 11 Indians injured in Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport, had died.
The Embassy expressed condolences to the bereaved family and said it was in contact with them to provide all possible assistance, including facilitating the early repatriation of the mortal remains.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed grief over the death and extended condolences to the family. He said the Embassy was providing all necessary assistance to those affected.
The Indian Embassy said it had been closely monitoring the condition of the injured since Saturday’s attack and had contacted local authorities and hospital officials to assess their well-being. Embassy officials also visited hospitals where the injured Indians were receiving treatment.
According to the Embassy’s latest update, three injured Indians remained in intensive care but were stable, while two others were receiving treatment in regular hospital wards. The remaining injured had been discharged.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi group claimed responsibility for four missile and drone operations targeting Saudi facilities, describing them as retaliation for what it called Saudi aggression against Yemen.
According to the Houthi-run Saba news agency, the claimed targets included King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Shugadam gas facility and Tanajib oil refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
The Houthis also warned international companies, aviation workers and travellers against operating flights to Saudi airports, claiming they were unsafe. However, the group said airports and airspace serving Mecca and Medina would remain exempt from its warning.
Separately, Yemen’s armed forces aligned with the internationally recognised government said they had conducted 1,732 targeting operations under their ongoing “Dawn of Yemen” offensive, claiming to have neutralised more than 900 Houthi fighters and destroyed or disabled over 287 military vehicles and other assets.