Strategically vital international airports near Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia have been targeted in a series of destructive attacks, exposing deep-seated vulnerabilities in Gulf security. According to reports, a strike on the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in the death of a Pakistani national and left at least 11 others injured. News agencies, citing Reuters, claim that the attacks were allegedly orchestrated by Yemen's Houthi movement, further inflaming an already volatile geopolitical landscape.
Citing coverage from German broadcaster DW, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation disclosed the severe fallout from the strikes hitting the capital's airport infrastructure. The attack heavily impacted terminals 3 and 4, which primarily handle domestic flights, triggering massive fires and extensive structural damage that authorities are still assessing. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that King Khalid International Airport has been struck four times over a five-day span and remains completely shuttered following an initial missile strike on October 10. *
The unfolding crisis threatens to paralyze regional aviation and economic corridors. A separate, high-casualty strike on October 10 claimed 13 lives and injured over 300 individuals. AP described the incident as the deadliest attack in an Arab Gulf state since the aggressive military campaigns launched by the Washington and Israeli regimes against Iran began. Furthermore, Saudi officials confirmed that on October 11, the King Fahd International Airport near Dammam and two critical facilities belonging to energy giant Saudi Aramco were also subjected to hostile fire.
The deterioration of regional security has been palpable since early September, when Houthi forces launched coordinated strikes on four cities in southern Saudi Arabia, injuring over 70 people and igniting fires at oil installations. In retaliation, the Saudi-led coalition launched more than 60 airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territories, yet failed to stem the ongoing violence. Observers warn that the persistent failure to secure vital trade routes, coupled with militant control near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, poses an escalating threat to international commerce and stability.
Source: kun.uz