Riyadh airport suspends operations after attack injures several people

RIYADH: Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were suspended on Saturday after an attack injured several people, while airlines cancelled or diverted flights amid an escalation of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the suspension in a statement, while eyewitnesses and people briefed on the incident reported a blast at the airport that left multiple people wounded.

One eyewitness said they saw an explosion followed by several people lying injured on the ground inside the airport. More than a dozen ambulances were seen rushing to the facility, while travellers were evacuated from parts of the terminal.

The Saudi government’s media office and civil aviation authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reported blast.

Flights diverted as airlines cancel services

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that flights bound for Riyadh had either been diverted or cancelled, with only a helicopter seen hovering over the airport at one point.

Airport authorities urged passengers to contact their airlines directly and check their flight status before travelling to the facility.

Kuwait Airways said it had cancelled flights to and from Riyadh because of the airport’s closure amid the security situation.

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways had also cancelled multiple flights between their respective hubs and the Saudi capital, with some cancellations extending into Monday.

Houthi attacks on Thursday and earlier in the week had already prompted several carriers to suspend or cancel services to Riyadh.

Houthi strikes raise security concerns

Saturday’s incident comes amid an escalation of missile strikes by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia.

The airport had already been attacked twice during the week, leaving four people dead and others wounded, while an aircraft was badly damaged.

The Houthis have urged airliners to avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of military operations after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government launched an offensive against the group earlier this month.

The latest disruption comes shortly before Riyadh is due to host major energy and investment conferences.

Organisers said on Saturday that the conferences would proceed as planned, seeking to reassure attendees about security arrangements.