Madinah governor inspects airport and railway station as pilgrims arrive

1 / 3
Governor of Madinah Region Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz inspects transport facilities in the holy city of Madinah on Tuesday. (SPA)
2 / 3
Governor of Madinah Region Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz inspects transport facilities in the holy city of Madinah on Tuesday. (SPA)
3 / 3
Governor of Madinah Region Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz inspects transport facilities in the holy city of Madinah on Tuesday. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 20 May 2025
Follow

Madinah governor inspects airport and railway station as pilgrims arrive

  • Prince Salman emphasized importance of enhancing quality of services provided to pilgrims and reaffirmed Kingdom’s dedication to supporting two holy mosques

RIYADH: Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport and Haramain High-Speed Railway station were inspected on Tuesday by the region’s governor to assess the readiness of facilities as pilgrims arrive for this year’s Hajj season.

Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz emphasized the importance of enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s dedication to supporting the two holy mosques, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The importance of ensuring operational efficiency and providing the highest levels of service during the Hajj season was also highlighted by the governor. 

The governor also received a detailed briefing on the operational plan for Hajj implemented by the Saudi Railways Company via the Haramain High-Speed Railway. The speedy mode of transport plays a key role in transporting pilgrims safely between the holy cities, SPA said. 


Saudi air defenses destroy 3 ballistic missiles, 4 drones 

Updated 39 min 10 sec ago
Follow

Saudi air defenses destroy 3 ballistic missiles, 4 drones 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's air defenses on Monday have shot down at least three ballistic missiles and four drones that have entered the Kingdom's airspace at past midnight, the Ministry of Defense said.

In a series of posts on X, the ministry said three ballistic missiles launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj were intercepted and destroyed. 

Two drones were shot down in the northern part of the national capital, Riyadh city, another one aimed at the Shaybah oil field was intercepted in the Empty Quarter desert, and another one was destroyed in the northern province of Al-Jouf.

Monday's early waves of strikes in the Kingdom and other Gulf states seem to follow a pattern, with Iran launching missiles and drones in waves starting at midnight, continuing relentlessly until late in the day.

Saudi Arabia's air defenses had successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple numbers of missile and drones in the past days. Most of the missiles are aimed at the Prince Sultan Air Base, while many of the drones were targeted at the Shaybah field.

Video footage posted by the Ministry of Defense on X on Sunday showed some of the enemy drones being neutralized.

On Sunday, however, two people were reported killed and 12 injured after a projectile fell on a residential area in Al-Kharj governorate, where the Prince Sultan Air Base is located.

An official spokesman for the Saudi Civil Defense said that the two deceased were Indian and Bangladeshi nationals, while the dozen injured were all Bangladeshi residents. The victims were employees of a maintenance and cleaning company in the area.