Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 8: India on Thursday condemned attacks targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, saying that targeting civilian infrastructure was "completely unacceptable."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the attacks over the past few days had caused civilian casualties and injuries. India expressed its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
"We express solidarity and stand with the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the MEA said.
According to Saudi civil aviation authorities, two people were killed and 28 injured in an attack at Abha International Airport, while one person was killed and eight others injured in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The attacks come amid a sharp escalation in fighting between Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed forces supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government. The Houthis have intensified attacks on Saudi territory, while Saudi-led coalition forces have launched retaliatory strikes against Houthi military positions in Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition said it had struck more than 80 Houthi military sites following attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, including the two airports.
The Houthis have also targeted aviation infrastructure in Yemen. On Wednesday, the group attacked Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, with one missile landing near the runway shortly before a flight from Cairo was due to land.
The renewed fighting has brought back a major escalation in Yemen's long-running civil war, which had remained largely frozen under a ceasefire reached in 2022. Fighting has intensified around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have launched an offensive to recover territory seized by the Houthis.
More than 200,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the latest round of fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration, adding to the country's already severe humanitarian crisis.