Houthi Airport Attacks Kill 3 in Saudi Arabia
Are missile strikes on Saudi airports terrorism against civilians or legitimate retaliation for the war on Yemen?
Above: Cars drive past the gates of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sept. 19. Image credit: AFP/Getty Images
The Facts
- Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said Wednesday that attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed three people, wounded 36 others, and caused material damage.
- A Moroccan woman and an Algerian woman were killed and 28 people were injured in Tuesday's attack on Abha airport, the aviation authority said. A Sudanese resident died and eight were hurt in Riyadh on Wednesday, including five Saudi citizens.
- Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group hit King Khalid airport with drones and Abha with ballistic missiles and drones, calling the attacks a response to "the Saudi aggression against our country."
Sources Split
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The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Civilian airports are not military targets, and aiming missiles at travelers and cargo ships crosses every line. Any country facing that kind of barrage has every right to shoot down the missiles and strike back at the launch sites. The world must back Riyadh or let terror become a bargaining chip.
Establishment-critical narrative
Saudi airspace became a battlefield the moment Riyadh launched its years-long bombing campaign and blockade against Yemen, and a country under siege has the right to strike back at the infrastructure fueling that war. The quickest way to stop the missiles is to end the war that started them.
