A new projectile strike on Saudi Arabia`s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed a Pakistani national and injured 11 other people on Monday, according to regional official reports. The incident occurred hours after media affiliated with Yemen`s Houthi movement reported an airstrike targeting the rebel-held airport in Sanaa. In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei expressed grave concern regarding military developments across the Arabian Peninsula, asserting that the mounting confrontation serves the strategic interests of Israel alone.
Aviation routes across the Gulf are facing severe operational shutdowns.
The latest casualty follows days of repeated strikes against Riyadh`s primary international hub, which have collectively killed at least 14 people and wounded more than 300. In response to the security risks, the United Arab Emirates carrier Etihad Airways announced an extension of its flight cancellations to and from the Saudi capital through next week, alongside disruptions to its scheduled services to Dammam and Jeddah. Several major international airlines, including Lufthansa Group, Bahrain`s Gulf Air, and Air France-KLM, had previously suspended passenger routes serving Riyadh.
Diplomatic reactions followed swiftly, with Jordan`s King Abdullah II telephoning the Saudi Crown Prince to condemn the attacks, while Libyan authorities formally affirmed solidarity with the kingdom. Concurrently, regional maritime lanes remain exposed to mounting friction. Iranian authorities indicated an intention to interrupt Arab-operated and American-supported oil shuttles moving through the Strait of Hormuz as part of diplomatic and military efforts to challenge the ongoing United States naval blockade.
Elsewhere, the United Kingdom declared financial and travel sanctions against two Iranian nationals accused of planning cross-border hostile actions.
Regional security stresses were also evident in Lebanon, where Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced a formal judicial inquiry following the seizure of a vehicle transporting 780 kilograms of explosives toward Beirut. Security personnel intercepted the truck along the highway connecting the Bekaa Valley to the capital and detained two individuals who claimed they lacked knowledge of the cargo`s ultimate purpose. The developments coincide with reported abuses by Israeli settlers targeting agricultural livestock in the occupied West Bank, reflecting broad-spectrum vulnerability across the regional theater.
