The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned in the strongest terms the attacks by the Houthi group on King Khalid International Airport and a Saudia aircraft in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the deaths of three Saudi nationals and injuries to a number of civilians. In a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency, the ministry described the strikes as a flagrant violation of Saudi sovereignty that threatened the kingdom’s security and stability. The UAE strongly condemns Houthi Group’s attacks on King Khalid International Airport, the statement added while expressing full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and backing all measures to protect its security. The ministry offered sincere condolences to the victims’ families and the Saudi people along with wishes for a swift recovery for those injured.
Saudi civil aviation authorities reported that the attacks formed part of a series of strikes on the airport during the week that disrupted operations and forced the diversion of all flights from Riyadh. Reuters reported that a subsequent strike on the facility killed at least 12 people of various nationalities while wounding more than 300 others, marking the deadliest assault in the kingdom in over a decade. The Saudi-led coalition described the incident as a war crime and vowed a decisive response, according to statements cited by BBC News. Airport management suspended activities at the hub serving a city of roughly 8 million residents.
The Houthi escalation follows the unraveling of a ceasefire in Yemen where the Iran-backed group controls significant territory and has intensified cross-border operations against Saudi targets. A Reuters assessment found that the group launched multiple drone and missile attacks on Saudi airports and facilities in early October alone as fighting resumed between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops. The United Nations has tracked how such incidents have compounded humanitarian challenges in Yemen with mass displacement and heightened hunger across affected governorates. Saudi officials have linked the strikes to broader regional tensions involving Iranian support for the Houthis.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia have maintained a close strategic partnership within the Gulf Cooperation Council that includes joint security coordination against shared threats. Previous WAM reports documented similar UAE condemnations of Houthi targeting of Saudi civilian sites and vessels in the Red Sea over the preceding days. This consistent diplomatic stance underscores the two countries’ alignment on countering actions that destabilize the Arabian Peninsula according to statements from both governments. Bilateral trade and economic initiatives have continued to expand despite the security pressures.
King Khalid International Airport ranks among Saudi Arabia’s busiest aviation hubs with the General Authority of Civil Aviation noting its role in handling millions of passengers annually before the latest disruptions. Operations remained halted into the following day with international carriers issuing warnings to avoid the facility as reported by CNN. The attacks damaged infrastructure including a commercial plane on the tarmac according to sources briefed on the matter. Aviation experts have highlighted how repeated strikes expose vulnerabilities in regional air defense systems.
The United States joined in condemnation of the attacks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledging the death of an American citizen in one of the strikes. Coalition forces conducted retaliatory operations against more than 80 Houthi sites in Yemen as detailed in statements from Saudi military spokesmen. The escalation has drawn concern from several Western governments that updated travel advisories for Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Diplomatic efforts to revive peace talks have faced significant setbacks amid the renewed violence.
