Global Outrage Condemning Houthi Crimes
- The Coalition announces the destruction of a cruise missile near King Khalid Airport... and condemns a war crime following the death of 12 and injuries to 309
- Trump: Saudis are capable of defending their country because they are fierce fighters
The targeting of civilian objects and civilians in Saudi Arabia by the Houthi terrorist militias, the latest of which was King Khalid International Airport, on Sunday afternoon, was met with a wave of widespread international and Arab anger and condemnation, amid calls to stop blatant violations of international law and humanitarian law, and with the Coalition for the Support of Legitimacy in Yemen pledging a “resolute” response to those “outrageous” attacks.
The spokesperson for the Coalition forces, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, announced in a statement the resumption of attacks against King Khalid International Airport, noting that Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in its vicinity.
While Al-Maliki reported that an attack by an unknown projectile on Terminal 4 at the airport caused a fire, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority reported injuries resulting from the new attack.
The airport had been targeted on the previous Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the death of a Sudanese resident and injuries to eight people. A simultaneous attack occurred on Thursday, which also targeted airport facilities and struck a Saudi aircraft on the runway, resulting in the deaths of three Saudi citizens.
However, the Saturday attack was the most severe, resulting in the deaths of 12 people and injuries to 309 others. A statement from the Civil Aviation Authority indicated that the fatalities included four Saudi citizens, residents including two Bangladeshi nationals, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian, and one Sudanese.
The statement noted that 309 others were injured and are receiving necessary medical care in several hospitals, including critical cases, adding that the attack caused material damage that is being assessed.
According to a previous Coalition statement, “The cowardly terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi militia on Saturday on one of the passenger terminals at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and the resulting deaths and injuries among civilians, including passengers and airport workers, constitutes a complete war crime under international humanitarian law and its customary rules, and is a heinous act incompatible with principles, values, and ethics. Therefore, the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will respond to this terrorist attack resolutely and in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules.”
The Coalition reported that a projectile fell in the vicinity of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, a drone was intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Province, and a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi terrorist militia was intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj Governorate.
In a humanitarian gesture, Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel visited the victims of the King Khalid Airport attack to check on their health conditions and monitor the level of medical care provided to them.
Amid a wave of widespread international and Arab condemnations, US President Donald Trump told journalists on Saturday evening that “what happened in Saudi Arabia is unacceptable.”
He added that he would “speak” with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, affirming that “Saudians are capable of defending their country because they are fierce fighters,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure as “heinous acts that cannot be justified by political or military objectives.”
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the “serious escalation” and “utterly despicable act,” which he said reflects a growing trend by the Houthis to target civilian sites in Saudi Arabia. France reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with the Kingdom, stating it would “continue to stand by it in defending its territory and facilities,” and noted that among the wounded was a French citizen.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrorist attack targeting Saudi Arabia and civilian aviation.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized it as a “serious escalation,” warning that “these attacks carried out by Iran’s proxies are pushing the region into a vortex of violence.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep shock and strong condemnation of the “bloody attack launched by the Houthis on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.” Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, renewed his call for the Houthi group to halt these attacks and respect international humanitarian law.
In a joint statement on Sunday evening, the Quartet Group (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey) strongly condemned the ongoing hostile attacks by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia, including the heinous attacks on King Khalid International Airport that resulted in the death and injury of civilians, as well as damage to infrastructure and civilian facilities, constituting a blatant violation of international law.
The statement affirmed that “these attacks represent a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a direct threat to its security and stability and to the safety of civilians, and a serious escalation that cannot be justified or accepted under any pretext.”
It emphasized “full solidarity with the Kingdom and support for all legitimate measures and steps it takes to confront these attacks, deter the sources of threat, and prevent their recurrence, in defense of the Kingdom’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and to protect the safety of its citizens and residents, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.”
According to the statement, “the Group holds the Houthi militia fully responsible for these attacks and their consequences, which threaten regional and international peace and security, and calls for the immediate and unconditional cessation of these attacks.”
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi strongly condemned the “treacherous Houthi terrorist attacks” on the airport, stressing that repeatedly targeting this civilian facility embodies a criminal approach aimed at terrorizing the innocent and endangering the lives of travelers and workers, in blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
The Arab League reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Kingdom in the face of Houthi attacks, while OIC Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed called on the international community to “take a firm stance to put an end to these terrorist acts.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the “UAE’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support in all measures aimed at preserving its security and stability,” while Qatar stated that Houthi attacks constitute a “serious violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the security of the region, the safety of civilians, civilian property, and air navigation.”
