India condemns Riyadh airport attack that killed 12, injured over 300; backs Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: India on Sunday strongly condemned the repeated attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, including Saturday’s deadly missile strike that killed 12 people and injured more than 300 others.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure as completely unacceptable and called for an immediate end to the violence.

In a statement, the MEA expressed condolences to the families of those killed and reaffirmed India’s support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

“We strongly condemn the repeated attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport over the past few days, including the dastardly attack on October 10, which have led to loss of lives, injuries and damage to property. We express condolences to the families of the deceased and wish speedy recovery to the injured persons,” the MEA said.

“The repeated attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are completely unacceptable and must cease immediately.

We stand in solidarity with the people and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in defence of their sovereignty, and hope that peace and normalcy returns to the region at the earliest,” it added.

India’s condemnation came hours after Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed that the latest attack on Riyadh’s international airport had killed 12 people and injured more than 300, several of whom were in critical condition.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels blamed the group for the strike, describing it as a “fully-fledged war crime” and warning of a firm response.

The attack was the deadliest in any Gulf Arab country since the outbreak of the Iran war, which has increasingly drawn in Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces.

Missile strikes airport terminals; foreign nationals among dead

According to a regional official familiar with the incident, a missile struck a section of King Khalid International Airport housing terminals 3 and 4, which primarily handle domestic flights.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media.

Saudi authorities identified the dead as four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals and one national each from Palestine, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan.

The injured were taken to several hospitals across Riyadh, with some reported to be in critical condition.

The airport has no military facilities, according to the Saudi-led coalition.

Saturday’s strike was the latest in a series of attacks targeting the airport over the past week, raising concerns about the safety of civilian aviation and the possibility of a wider regional confrontation.

Earlier Houthi attacks on the airport had killed three Saudi nationals, including a pilot. Two regional officials also said strikes on Thursday damaged three aircraft.

Saudi Arabia’s national carrier confirmed that one of its planes was damaged while on the ground, adding that no passengers were on board.