Saudi Arabia-Houthi conflict escalates: Airlines suspend flights to Riyadh after attacks | Follow | Today’s news
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed a missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, escalating attacks on the kingdom’s aviation and energy infrastructure, The Guardian reported.
A Reuters report, citing three people briefed on the matter, said a commercial plane operated by Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Saudia Airlines was badly damaged after it caught fire while parked at an airport terminal on Thursday. The damage is believed to have been caused by shrapnel from the hit or another projectile.
The videos that circulated online on 8-9 appeared to October, showed thick black smoke and flames near the airport.
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Airlines have suspended operations following Houthi attacks targeting Saudi airports, including Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The evolving security situation has forced carriers to cancel or suspend flights.
Reports indicate that a parked commercial aircraft at King Khalid International Airport caught fire and was damaged, possibly by shrapnel. The exact circumstances and cause have not been confirmed.
Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air have suspended flights to Riyadh till October 10, while IndiGo has canceled its flights till October 9. Lufthansa also said it was suspending flights to Riyadh.
Air India and Air India Express said affected passengers may receive full compensation. Air India Express also offered free rescheduling; options may vary by airline.
Check directly with the airline for the latest flight status and available refund or rescheduling options. The airlines said they were monitoring the security situation.
However, the exact circumstances of the reported damage remain unclear.
LiveMint could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos and does not vouch for the accuracy of visuals circulating online.
The Houthis said they targeted Riyadh’s airport and warned workers to stay away from energy facilities they threatened to attack. The latest strikes come amid escalating fighting between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.
Airlines have suspended flights to Riyadh
Lufthansa and Air India have announced they have suspended flights to Riyadh following the Houthi attacks.
The escalation follows attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia that reportedly killed three people and injured dozens, the country’s civil aviation authorities said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
The Houthis have earlier attacked Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosives-laden drones, Yemen’s Ministry of Transport said.
The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government has vowed to retaliate and warned that attacks on the airport “will not go unpunished,” Reuters reported.
The latest escalation follows a series of incidents near the Saudi capital. On September 18, Saudi-led coalition forces said they had intercepted and destroyed a suspected Houthi ballistic missile fired from Yemen at Riyadh, according to Al Jazeera.
Read also | Mecca pact activated amid Houthi attacks: Is this the ‘NATO of the Middle East’
A day later, at least one explosion was heard near Riyadh Airport, while a large plume of black smoke was seen rising from a fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, according to a report.
Renewed fighting threatens to widen the conflict that has devastated Yemen for more than a decade.
Saudi-backed forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government are fighting the Houthis, who control large parts of the country, including territory near the strategically important Red Sea corridor.
The conflict has also deepened Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. More than 200,000 people have been displaced since the latest round of fighting began, the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday.
