Saudi Arabia says missile attack on international airport could be ‘act of war’ as it accuses Iran
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they had targeted King Khalid International Airport with a ballistic missile Saturday
The Saudi-led coalition battling Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen closed the country’s air, sea and land borders Monday and accused Iran of being behind a weekend missile attack on Riyadh, saying it “may amount to an act of war”.
The missile was the first aimed by the Shiite rebels at the heart of the Saudi capital, underscoring the growing threat posed by the raging conflict.
“The leadership of the coalition forces therefore considers this … a blatant military aggression by the Iranian regime which may amount to an act of war,” the official Saudi news agency SPA said in a statement.
Smouldering debris landed inside the King Khalid International Airport, just north of Riyadh, after the missile was shot down but authorities reported no major damage or loss of life.
Watch: Saudi military fires missile defences in Saturday’s attack