Houthi Missile Strikes Kill 3 in Riyadh; Saudi Retaliates
A series of devastating missile attacks launched by Iran-backed Houthi forces targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, resulting in the deaths of three Saudi nationals. Among the deceased has been identified as Saudia Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. The strikes also caused injuries to several civilians of various nationalities.
Aviation Chaos and Flight Cancellations
The security breach at the capital's main airport triggered immediate chaos within the aviation sector. Numerous airlines were forced to suspend their operations, including Etihad, Air India, Lufthansa, and Akasa Air, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations. Following the incident, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an advisory recommending that EU carriers avoid Saudi airspace for the time being.
This latest escalation follows previous missile strikes on airports in Abha and Riyadh. Those earlier attacks claimed the lives of a Sudanese man and two women of Moroccan and Algerian nationalities, while causing significant damage to a medical complex and a local kindergarten.