Bangladesh decries Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh has strongly condemned recent Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including airports, as the kingdom reported three deaths in strikes on its capital.
“Such attacks violate international law and threaten innocent lives and regional stability,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued in Dhaka on Friday.
Bangladesh expressed full solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia and called for an immediate end to the attacks.
According to AFP, Saudi Arabia said on Friday that three people, including an aircraft captain, had been killed in attacks involving Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed a series of strikes targeting the facility.
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said two attacks on Thursday involving the capital’s airport and a Saudia Airlines aircraft had “resulted in the martyrdom of three citizens”.
The national flag carrier confirmed the death of the aircraft’s captain, expressing “profound sadness” over what it described as an “incident” at King Khalid International Airport.
The attacks have heightened security concerns in the Saudi capital, disrupting air travel and prompting precautionary measures at diplomatic missions and international schools.
Several flights at Riyadh’s airport were delayed or cancelled, while airport authorities advised passengers to contact their airlines before travelling.
Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency also reported that debris from intercepted projectiles had damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh.
It did not disclose whether anyone was injured in those incidents or provide further details about the damage.
The attacks come amid an escalating conflict between Yemen’s Houthi movement and the internationally recognised government backed by Saudi Arabia.
The Iran-backed rebels have repeatedly targeted Saudi territory, including transport hubs, oil facilities and other civilian infrastructure.
The Houthis have seized large areas of Yemen, including territory along the Red Sea coast, while Saudi-backed forces have struggled to reverse their advances.
Recent fighting has included a Saudi-backed counter-offensive aimed at recovering lost territory, including areas near the Bab al-Mandab strait, a strategic maritime chokepoint vital to international shipping and global energy flows.
A regional source told AFP on Friday that Riyadh would not yield to what it described as the Houthis’ “military blackmail”.
The source said Saudi Arabia would not agree to a truce until the Yemeni government regained all the territory it had lost in recent weeks.
The latest attacks also forced diplomats based in Riyadh to shelter in place, while international schools introduced safety measures as explosions were heard across the city on Thursday.
Bangladesh’s condemnation underscores its concern over attacks on civilian facilities and the potential consequences for regional security.
The government called for an immediate halt to the strikes and reaffirmed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
