Houthi attacks.. a war crime
The Houthi terrorist militias focused their brazen attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh yesterday, causing more than 300 casualties, including the dead and wounded, amid international consensus condemning these attacks and calls to move beyond verbal condemnation to taking firm, deterrent measures.
The official spokesperson for the coalition forces (the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen), Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, announced that the airport had been subjected to several attacks and targeting attempts, with the most violent and costly in terms of human life being the attack the day before yesterday, which “resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including four Saudi citizens and residents of various nationalities, as well as injuries to 309 others, in addition to material damage.”
Al-Maliki stated that air defenses destroyed a flying “Cruise” missile yesterday near the airport, while a projectile hit Terminal 4 at the airport, and the attacks resulted in a fire.
The spokesperson considered the cowardly attack, and the resulting civilian deaths and injuries, to constitute a fully constituted war crime. He pledged to respond “to this terrorist attack firmly and in accordance with international law.”
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that King Khalid International Airport had been subjected to another attack yesterday afternoon, confirming new casualties. Meanwhile, reactions condemning the “atrocious” attack continued to pour in. The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Bedaiwi, stated that the attack represents a highly dangerous escalation that necessitates a firm international response to deter such Houthi practices.
Al-Bedaiwi said: “The repeated targeting of King Khalid International Airport embodies a criminal approach aimed at terrorizing the innocent and endangering the lives of travelers and workers.”
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World nations united yesterday in condemning the “atrocious” attack launched by the terrorist Houthi militia on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which killed 12 people and injured 309 in a strike targeting one of the passenger terminals. There were calls not to limit themselves to condemnation and denunciation, but to take action to deter such practices and adopt firm measures.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Al-Budaiwi, strongly condemned the treacherous terrorist attacks, emphasizing that the repeated targeting of this civilian facility reflects a criminal pattern aimed at terrorizing the innocent and endangering the lives of travelers and staff, in blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. He stressed that these attacks and the transformation of civilian airports into targets represent a highly dangerous escalation that threatens the safety of civil aviation, necessitating a firm international response to deter Houthi practices.
The Secretary-General affirmed that GCC states stand united alongside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering full support for all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents on its territory. He emphasized that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the GCC states, and any threat to it affects the entire Gulf system.
For his part, the Deputy Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrorist crime” that demands a decisive regional and international stance. He stated, according to Al Jazeera, that “it is no longer acceptable for international condemnations of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure to remain merely verbal positions without being translated into firm measures that ensure accountability and deterrence.” He affirmed steadfast support for Saudi Arabia and highly valued its advanced role in curbing the Houthi militia, which poses a direct threat to regional security and the safety of international navigation. He stressed that the battle of “Yemen’s Dawn” continues toward restoring the state, ending the terrorism of this militia, and consolidating security and peace.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the attacks. They expressed their strong condemnation and denunciation of the continued heinous and ongoing terrorist attacks, noting that their recurrence constitutes a serious escalation and an extension of the heinous aggression that targeted the same airport within two days. They affirmed that these brazen and cowardly attacks represent a blatant violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter, and constitute a serious and unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region, as well as the safety of international civil aviation and its passengers and crews. They also described the attacks as a grave breach of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and decisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The three countries further considered the continuation of the attacks a serious violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to regional security, the safety of civilians, civilian objects, and air navigation. They expressed their solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their support for it in all lawful measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and interests, affirming that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of their own security.
Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon expressed their denunciation and condemnation of these brazen attacks and irresponsible actions, which constitute a blatant violation of international law rules and disregard for the safety of civilians of various nationalities. They affirmed their full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and their support for it in all lawful measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and interests.
The Arab League and the Arab Parliament also strongly condemned the recurrence of the attacks, affirming that
Targeting civil aviation facilities and endangering the lives of passengers and workers constitutes a serious escalation and a violation of international law, posing a threat to the safety of international air navigation, as well as to the security and stability of the region. Kuwait reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for all measures taken to protect its sovereignty, the security of its territory, and the safety of its citizens and residents.
Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Yamahi called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to intervene to halt these attacks, ensure they are not repeated, and hold the perpetrators accountable.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law, stressing the urgent need to stop these attacks immediately. UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg strongly condemned the ongoing attacks, stating they represent a serious escalation and pose a grave threat to regional security.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and a worrying indicator of an increasing aggressive pattern. In a press statement, Streeting said that the Houthi militias’ targeting of civilian facilities is “extremely abhorrent and completely unacceptable,” adding that this is among the reasons driving the United Kingdom to provide support to Saudi Arabia, including through air defense systems and aerial refueling operations.
France also condemned the “heinous attack launched by the Houthis,” reaffirming its “full solidarity with Saudi Arabia” and stating it would “continue to stand by its side in defending its territory and facilities,” noting that among the injured was a French citizen.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul condemned the “terrorist attack,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described it as a “serious escalation,” warning that “these attacks, carried out by Iran’s proxies, are pushing the region into a vortex of violence.” She added that these attacks “undermine fundamental transport and energy lines, sending shockwaves across the world.”
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Ministry denounced the “deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,” describing it as a “blatant violation of international law,” and called for an immediate halt to “actions that threaten regional security and stability.” India also affirmed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia, both government and people, in defending its sovereignty. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement yesterday, expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery, emphasizing that repeated attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are completely unacceptable and must stop immediately.
Brunei Darussalam strongly condemned the attacks on the Kingdom that targeted civilians and infrastructure. In a statement, the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its country’s solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for all efforts to preserve its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the sanctity of holy sites, describing the attacks as a violation of international law and classifying them as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
