Saudi civil aviation officials said Thursday's strikes on Riyadh airport killed three people, damaged a Saudia jet and disrupted flights. Air traffic later returned to normal.
Thursday's attacks on Riyadh airport killed three people, Saudi authorities said on Friday, Reuters reported. The strikes also injured several people, damaged a Saudia aircraft and sent smoke over the airport. Many airlines cancelled flights to the capital days before a meeting of oil executives.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said the first strike hit the airport and a second hit a Saudia aircraft, the BBC reported. Saudia said one of those killed was an employee. The BBC said one of the dead was a pilot. The civil aviation authority said those killed were Saudi nationals and that others injured included citizens and residents of various nationalities.
The Houthis said on Thursday they had fired two ballistic missiles at the airport. They also claimed strikes on Najran airport and Khamis Mushait air base. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed those additional claims, the BBC said.
A Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed three Houthi missile launch platforms and warned of a firm response to attacks on civilians, Reuters reported. The civil aviation authority said air traffic at Riyadh had returned to normal, and Flightradar24 showed flights resuming.
Three people had already been killed in Houthi strikes on Saudi airports on 6 and 7 October, including two at Abha and one at King Khalid airport in Riyadh, the BBC said. Saudi Arabia and Yemen are outside this brief's country list.
People Sentiments Negative
- Saudia said one of the people killed was an employee of the airline.
- The Saudi-led coalition said it would respond firmly to attacks on civilians.