Saudi coalition says Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport have killed 17
Yemen's Houthi rebels have hit Riyadh's main airport 20 times since Oct. 1, a Saudi-led coalition says. Its spokesman told reporters Thursday that the attacks killed 17 people and hurt 333, CNN and Middle East Eye reported. Saudi Arabia is also trying to find out why its air defenses missed one deadly strike, the AP said.
Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh 20 times since Oct. 1, killing 17 people and injuring 333, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition said Thursday, CNN Arabic and Middle East Eye reported. The deaths and injuries came between Oct. 7 and 11, Middle East Eye said.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki gave the figures at a news conference in Riyadh and posted videos of what he said were Saudi forces shooting down Houthi cruise missiles and drones, according to CNN's Arabic service. He said a separate attack on the airport in Abha killed two people and injured 28. "Targeting airports affects the security of the kingdom and threatens air traffic," he said, CNN reported.
Al-Maliki also accused the Houthis of trying to target the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, CNN said.
Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation into how its air defenses failed to stop a barrage of missiles and drones in an earlier strike on the Riyadh airport, The Associated Press reported Monday, citing two regional officials. At that time, that attack alone had killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300, the AP said.
The officials told the AP that an early review found the Houthis first sent several drones to clear the way for cruise and ballistic missiles. Some Houthi missiles carry warheads that can change direction in flight, making them hard for Patriot interceptors to stop, the AP reported. The probe is also looking at why defense systems did not give earlier warning, even though the weapons flew more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), the AP said.
"The events of recent weeks are serious," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman said Monday, according to the AP. "Our response must be equally serious."
The attacks are part of a widening conflict in the region that began more than seven months ago with the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, the AP reported. The Saudis want the U.S. to take a more direct role against the Houthis, the AP said.
What we know: The coalition says 20 attacks on the Riyadh airport since Oct. 1 have killed 17 people and injured 333.
What we don't: What the Saudi review of its air defense failures will find.
Where outlets agree CNN Arabic and Middle East Eye both report the coalition spokesman said 20 attacks on Riyadh's airport since Oct. 1 have killed 17 people and injured 333.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.