The Yemeni Houthi group said that it had attacked King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with a ballistic missile.
The statement came hours after the kingdom announced that a recent attack on the same airport had killed one person.
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In related developments, a witness and three informed sources said smoke was seen rising from a parked plane at Riyadh airport on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The three people familiar with the matter said the plane was believed to have been empty at the time of the incident.
The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, also called on employees of all Saudi oil facilities to evacuate, considering them to be “targets” for his forces in light of the escalation of their attacks on the Kingdom.
For its part, the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen announced that its forces intercepted and destroyed 3 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group towards Saudi Arabia.
Al-Maliki reported that coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile “launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait” in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities also announced material damage to a kindergarten and a medical complex in the capital, Riyadh, as a result of falling debris from a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis, after it was intercepted and destroyed.
The Saudi Civil Defense explained in a statement that a ballistic missile “was launched by the terrorist Houthi militia,” and resulted in “material damage to a kindergarten and a medical clinic complex,” without reporting any injuries.
the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries called on the international community this morning to take a firm and deterrent international stance against the Houthi militia, which targeted Abha and King Khalid airports in Saudi Arabia, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi terrorist militia, which targeted Abha and King Khalid airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries among civilians,”
Al-Badawi stressed that targeting civilian airports and endangering the lives of travelers, workers and civilians “represents a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international laws and norms, and requires a firm and deterrent international stance, and not allowing the continuation of these practices that threaten regional and international security and peace.”
Al-Badawi reiterated that the GCC countries stand united with Saudi Arabia, and express their full solidarity with it in confronting all threats to its security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents on its territory, and their support for all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its territory, resources, and security.
Kuwait, Syria, Egypt and Jordan also condemned the “attacks” by the Yemeni Houthi group on Abha International Airport in the Asir region of southwestern Saudi Arabia, and King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh.
Kuwait
The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the Houthi militia's "blatant attacks" on the two airports represent "a flagrant violation of the Kingdom's sovereignty and a blatant breach of international law and international humanitarian law."
Kuwait affirmed its categorical rejection of the repetition of such attacks, and its absolute solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for the measures it is taking to protect its security, sovereignty, citizens and residents on its territory.
Syria
For its part, Syria condemned in the strongest terms the “recent attacks launched by the Houthi militia” targeting civilian facilities and sites, particularly Abha and King Khalid airports.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that targeting civilian facilities and endangering the lives of civilians constitutes a “flagrant violation of international law” and a threat to the security of the Kingdom and the region, stressing Damascus’s full solidarity with Riyadh.
Egypt
Egypt also expressed its strongest condemnation of the attacks targeting the two airports, and stressed in a statement by theMinistry of Foreign Affairs that the escalation affecting Saudi territory represents a threat to the security and stability of the region.
Cairo affirmed its support for Saudi Arabia in confronting all threats to its security, calling for an end to the attacks and respect for the sovereignty of states and the integrity of their territories.
Jordan
On Wednesday, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the “two attacks launched by the Houthi militia” on the two airports, considering them a “blatant violation” of Saudi sovereignty and a breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.
Oman affirmed its absolute solidarity with Riyadh.
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