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Saudi Arabia Underlines its Firm Stance on Achieving Regional, Int’l Peace

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Underlines its Firm Stance on Achieving Regional, Int’l Peace

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government underscored on Tuesday its firm stance on achieving security and stability in the region and world, reiterating its call on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards stopping Israeli violations against the people of Gaza.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

The cabinet also renewed the Kingdom’s stance on the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own fate and establish their own independent state according to the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital.

The ministers reviewed the contacts and talks held between the Kingdom and several friendly countries over the past week that focused on bilateral relations, regional affairs and global developments.

Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the cabinet praised the outcome of the second ministerial meeting of the GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue. It stressed the Kingdom's commitment to fostering stronger communication channels with various nations around the world, and to promoting coordination, including within multilateral frameworks.

The cabinet welcomed the participants in the upcoming special meeting of the World Economic Forum taking place in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, which underscores the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and addressing global challenges.

The cabinet also welcomed the World Bank's decision to designate Saudi Arabia as a knowledge center for disseminating global economic reform practices, a recognition that reflects the Kingdom's significant progress in global competitiveness indicators.

Moreover, the cabinet highlighted the achievement of five Saudi cities that secured high rankings in the 2024 International Institute for Management Development's Smart Cities Index. It said the accomplishment is a testimony to the ongoing development and prosperity the Kingdom is experiencing in various sectors.

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12 Killed, 309 Injured in Attack on Riyadh Airport; Coalition Vows Response

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
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12 Killed, 309 Injured in Attack on Riyadh Airport; Coalition Vows Response

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said on Saturday that an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others of various nationalities, while the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen reported a projectile landing near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

The Coalition said in a statement that operations at Riyadh airport had been temporarily suspended pending a damage assessment and safety checks in coordination with the relevant authorities.

It said the 12 people killed included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi residents, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

Brig. Gen. Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government, said a projectile had landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. He also said a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia had been intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj province, while a drone had been destroyed in the Eastern Province.

Malki said the attack on a passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh amounted to a fully-fledged war crime under international humanitarian law, adding that the coalition's joint command would respond to the attack.

Gulf

UK Defense Minister: Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport 'Dangerous Escalation' and 'Contemptible'

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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UK Defense Minister: Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport 'Dangerous Escalation' and 'Contemptible'

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

UK Defense Minister Wes Streeting on Sunday condemned Saturday's deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh's airport as a "dangerous escalation" and "contemptible".

"What we've seen overnight is a dangerous escalation and I'm afraid an increasing pattern of behavior from the Houthis that's targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia," he told Sky News.

"This is completely contemptible action and it's one of the reasons why the UK is providing support to Saudi Arabia in the form of air defenses, but also air-to-air refueling," he said.

"We want to see an end to this conflict. It cannot be right that the Houthis are attacking civilian targets in this way," he added.

Gulf

Crowds Attend Funeral of Saudi Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami in Jeddah

Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Crowds Attend Funeral of Saudi Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami in Jeddah

Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A large crowd attended funeral prayers for Captain Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Guraigri Mosque in Jeddah on Saturday afternoon before his body was laid to rest at Al-Salhiyah Cemetery in the northeastern part of the city.

Relatives, friends, colleagues from Saudia Airlines, aviation sector workers and members of the public attended the funeral.

Mourners began arriving early to offer condolences to the family of Alkalthami, who was killed in an attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday.

His death prompted an outpouring of grief across Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, with colleagues paying tribute in person and on social media, remembering his good character, warm smile and strong professional relationships throughout his career.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Khaled Salmeen Bahashwan, who worked with Alkalthami for more than 22 years at Saudia Airlines, remembered him as a kind, cheerful and compassionate colleague whose sincere smile and exemplary character left a lasting impression. He praised Alkalthami’s devotion to his wife and two daughters, his loyalty to colleagues and his willingness to support others, saying his many admirable qualities were difficult to capture in words.

Saudia mourned Captain Alkalthami, honoring his service and expressing condolences to his family and colleagues.

The airline also confirmed that an aircraft was damaged while parked on the airport tarmac, with no passengers on board. It said emergency procedures were immediately activated in coordination with the relevant authorities to assist those affected and provide support to their families.