Saudi Arabia’s busiest airport was set ablaze again on Sunday, barely a day after no Gulf country had suffered a bloodier strike since fighting with Iran erupted. A projectile slammed into Passenger Hall No 4 of the Riyadh hub named after King Khalid, the complex used for domestic travel, and started a fire, coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said. Air defences brought down a second missile near the site. Aviation officials spoke of people hurt but did not say how many.
Saturday’s strike on the same complex has now claimed 13 lives. An Indian man succumbed to his wounds on Sunday, his country’s embassy reported, adding to twelve victims from ten countries, among them four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, an American and an Egyptian flight attendant working for the carrier Flynas. The number of wounded from that strike exceeds 300.
The Houthi movement in Yemen, backed by Iran, says it fired the missiles and drones. It also took credit for hitting the airport serving Dammam and on two Aramco sites in the east of the kingdom, and repeated its warning to airlines, crews and passengers to stay out of Saudi airports and airspace. Only Mecca and Medina, the group said, would be spared. A number of foreign carriers have already paused their services.
Daily life in the capital is bending around the threat. The airport remains closed and Riyadh’s schools have switched to remote lessons until Thursday. The timing is awkward for a government courting investors: an international energy conference was under way in the city, where Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who runs the energy ministry, insisted that nobody would “break our back”.
Riyadh’s military alliance has branded Saturday’s attack a war crime and promised a firm response. Back in the White House, the president is still deciding whether American jets should join the bombing of rebel positions. Analysts warn that such a step could push the rebels to choke off the narrow sea lane at Bab el-Mandeb, one of the few outlets for Gulf oil still running.
