Houthi Attack Kills 12 at Riyadh Airport — SkimNews
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- Houthis launched a missile or drone attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing 12 and injuring 309, including foreign nationals from the US, Egypt, and Jordan.
- Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed the deaths of four Saudis and citizens from Bangladesh, Sudan, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, with operations at the airport suspended and damage under assessment.
- Saudi-led military coalition blamed the Houthis for the attack, calling it a 'war crime' and vowing a response, following similar strikes on Dammam and prior attacks on 6 and 7 October.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks and confirmed an American citizen was among the dead, as Western embassies issued warnings for nationals to avoid the airport.
- Gulf airlines, including Kuwait Airways, canceled flights to Riyadh due to the security situation, with Flightradar showing all incoming flights either diverted or grounded.
Why it matters: The attack marks a deadly escalation in Houthi cross-border strikes, directly impacting civilian infrastructure and international travelers. With 12 dead and hundreds injured, the assault forces a likely military response from the Saudi-led coalition, risking broader regional conflict and disruption to global air travel through a key Gulf hub.
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