The Coalition: Attack on Riyadh airport is a complete war crime... We will respond firmly

Riyadh – Aden – Agencies: Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, the official spokesperson for the forces of the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen, affirmed that the cowardly terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi militia on Saturday at one of the passenger terminals at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and the resulting civilian casualties among travelers and airport staff, constitutes a fully constituted war crime. He stressed that the joint command of the coalition forces will respond to this terrorist attack firmly and in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules. (See page 12)

This statement came a day after a missile attack launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, which killed 12 civilians and injured more than 300 others. The terrorist attack by the Iran-backed militia sparked a wave of Arab and international condemnation. Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the repeated targeting of this civilian facility reflects a criminal approach aimed at terrorizing the innocent and endangering the lives of travelers and workers. Al-Budaiwi called for a firm international response to deter such practices and prevent their recurrence, affirming that GCC member states stand united alongside Saudi Arabia and fully support all measures it takes.

For his part, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the Houthi attack, stressing that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure constitute violations of international law and must be halted immediately. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned yesterday that attacks carried out by Iran’s proxies are pushing the region into a vortex of violence. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas described the attack on King Khalid Airport as a terrifying act of terrorism.