A Yemeni missile has landed near Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia, bringing the kingdom’s main eastern air hub within range of Yemen’s operations. According to Tasnim News Agency, the Saudi Defence Ministry acknowledged that a missile struck the vicinity of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, while Al Jazeera reported that the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, described it as a “projectile” and gave no details of damage.
Riyadh airport attack toll rises to 12 dead, 309 injured
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said the attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday afternoon killed 12 people: four Saudi citizens and residents from Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Sudan and the United States. It said 309 people were injured, some of them critically.
The coalition spokesman called the Riyadh attack a “terrorist act” that would be “answered firmly” and said a ballistic missile fired towards al-Kharj had been intercepted. The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned the attacks.
Read More: Riyadh Airport Attack: Flights Halted, Several Injured
The New York Times’ admission
According to Tasnim, The New York Times reported that the Riyadh strike was the deadliest attack in a Gulf Arab state since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in February. The paper said the repeated strikes on Riyadh airport this week have challenged Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to turn the city into a global aviation and business hub, and could disrupt major international events planned for the coming weeks.
Yemen’s armed forces began targeting Saudi airports last week in response to Saudi strikes on Sanaa airport, and Sanaa describes the operations as a response to aggression on Yemen and a years-long blockade. There has been no formal statement yet from Yemen’s armed forces on the Dammam incident.
Sources: Tasnim News Agency, Al Jazeera
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