Saudi Arabia has vowed a strong response to a series of deadly attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement targeting the kingdom’s airports and critical infrastructure.
Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman issued the warning on Monday, October 12, while addressing the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh, as missile and drone attacks continued to threaten the country.
“The events of recent weeks are serious. Our response must be equally serious,” the minister said, stressing the challenges facing Saudi Arabia’s energy security and national infrastructure.
The latest wave of attacks has included strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where a major attack on Saturday killed 13 people and injured hundreds, according to reports. Another person was killed in an attack on Sunday. Airport operations remained suspended on Monday as authorities assessed the situation.
The Saudi-led military coalition said it intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh on Monday night, following reports of further explosions in the capital. The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting the airport and warned airlines against operating at Saudi airports, with exceptions for those in Mecca and Medina.
The group has described its attacks as retaliation for Saudi military operations in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition has been providing air support to Yemeni government-aligned forces fighting the Houthis, including along the Red Sea coast.
Meanwhile, the Houthi-run health ministry reported that a child was killed and six people injured in a Saudi air strike on a home in Sanaa on Sunday. The claim has not been independently verified.
Saudi authorities are also investigating how the country’s air-defence systems failed to prevent the deadly airport strike, raising further concerns about the security of vital infrastructure.
