CAIRO (AP) — Cairo International Airport Saudi Arabia The capital, Riyadh, came under attack again on Saturday as the kingdom faces an extraordinary series of assaults on the country’s new front. Iranian War. President Donald Trump said he was weighing whether the United States should join Saudi strikes against the Houthi rebels supported by Tehran in neighboring Yemen.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks earlier in the week on King Khalid International Airport which killed three Saudisincluding a pilot. On Saturday, a missile struck a complex housing Terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights and many people were injured, a regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“We can do it. We’ll think about it,” Trump said of his intervention. “We have just learned of the recent attack. So we will make a decision. We are acting very quickly.”
The surge in attacks, including on other Saudi airports, military installations and oil infrastructure, came a week after the establishment of a Saudi-led coalition. launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. There was no immediate statement from the rebels, who on Saturday accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa international airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.
Riyadh airport operations suspended
Saudi civil aviation authorities said airport operations had been suspended and the extent of injuries and damage was being assessed. An official notice to airmen indicated that the suspension would last until midnight. The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked and lights around the complex dimmed.
Flights diverted elsewhere, tracker Flightradar24 said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada have warned their citizens to avoid the airport.
Attacks on Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, have shaken markets and the region. And yet, hours after the last one, the Saudi Energy Ministry was still promoting a major international energy conference scheduled to open Sunday in Riyadh.
Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has intensified, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support to government forces trying to reverse recent Houthi advances along the Red Sea. The gains allowed rebels to better monitor shipping in a corridor that provides a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran attacks shipping.
Although the Houthis have told the AP and others that they are only targeting Saudi ships as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them, concerns about broader attacks persist. The Houthis had already attacked other ships after the start of the war in Gaza, calling the operation in solidarity with the Palestinians. A US bombing campaign severely limited this.
Saudi Arabia running out of interceptors, officials say
Saudi Arabia is short of missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense support to the region, according to regional officials. told the AP last month, with one pointing out that the United States saw its own stockpiles decline during the war with Iran.
Officials said U.S. assistance included sharing intelligence, identifying targets and planning the latest offensive against the Houthis.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia said its foreign minister and his Omani counterpart spoke by telephone about the importance of “supporting diplomatic solutions to defuse tensions” in the region. Oman, located across the Strait of Hormuz and Iran, has at times played a mediating role in the region.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned the public this week that “filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability.”
Flight disruptions are increasing
The Houthis this week warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they described as the theater of their military operations.
At least 291 flights at Riyadh airport were canceled in the past 24 hours, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Before the latest attack, Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines were among the airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for varying periods.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has expanded its guidelines on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a “greater focus on air infrastructure.”
Missile and drone attacks and interception efforts “create an increased risk of misidentification of civilian aircraft,” he said.
Two regional officials said Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport on Thursday damaged three planes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Saudi Arabia’s national airline said one of its planes was damaged while on the ground with no passengers on board.
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Anna reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Victoria Eastwood in Cairo, Collin Binkley in Washington and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.
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