RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The R4 Group — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye — condemned “in the strongest terms” the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, including the “heinous attacks” on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, in a statement Sunday from the Saudi foreign ministry.
The group called the strikes “a blatant violation of international law” and “a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” warning they pose a direct threat to Saudi security and the safety of civilians — an escalation it said “cannot be justified or accepted under any pretext.”
The R4 Group expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for “all legitimate measures” the kingdom takes to counter the attacks and deter their sources, in line with the U.N. Charter. It held the Houthi militia “fully accountable” for the results and demanded an “immediate and unconditional halt” to the attacks.
“These attacks must cease immediately.”
This story follows our earlier coverage of the attacks. One person, a Pakistani resident, was killed and 11 were hurt Sunday in the second strike in two days on King Khalid International Airport. A day earlier, 12 people — four Saudis and eight foreigners, among them an American — died in an attack on the same airport; Saudi authorities put the injured at 309, and one of them, an Indian national, died Sunday.
The Houthis say they have hit the airport in four waves since Saturday and warned airlines, airport staff and travelers to stay away from Saudi airports. The Saudi-led coalition blamed the Iran-backed group and promised a decisive response.
In Washington, the Federal Aviation Administration warned U.S. airlines to be careful flying to or over Saudi Arabia because of military activity and interference with navigation systems. “Threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes,” the agency said, according to Reuters reporting carried by The Times of Israel. Its notice is in effect until Dec. 10.
President Donald Trump was asked whether the United States would join the Saudi strikes. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said. He later called the attack “terrible” and said the Saudis could defend themselves.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the strike as a “dangerous escalation.” Qatar said it violated Saudi sovereignty and endangered civilians and air safety.
The airport has not reopened since Saturday. Flightradar24 said the closure was extended to midnight local time at the start of Monday.
Airlines have pulled back. Etihad and Emirates canceled flights to Riyadh, Lufthansa halted service through Oct. 16 and SriLankan Airlines through Oct. 18. Schools in the capital moved classes online for the week.
Saudi authorities have given no date for flights to resume. One aviation source said radar and communications equipment were damaged and the runways still have to be inspected.
