West Asia tensions: Riyadh airport hit again in fresh assault, multiple injured; flights diverted

Two loud explosions rocked the Saudi capital as King Khalid International Airport was attacked again allegedly by Houthis. According to reports, authorities carried out evacuations with unverified claims on social media showing damages.

Ambulances were seen rushing toward the airport following the blast. Eyewitnesses said that many were wounded with one eyewitness describing an explosion followed by multiple injured people lying on the ground inside the terminal, as per a Reuters report.

Travelers were subsequently evacuated from parts of the facility. More than a dozen ambulances were spotted speeding to the scene.

The US Embassy Riyadh in a post on X wrote, "The US Mission is aware of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 and strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas. US government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. US citizens should be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions. We recommend checking your flight departure status directly with the airline and with the airport."

The fresh assault on October 10 comes just two days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed in a series of extraordinary strikes against the Kingdom.

Flight tracking site Flightradar24 showed that all flights heading to Riyadh were either diverted elsewhere or canceled, nearly four hours after the last flight landed at 2:05 pm, with only a single helicopter hovering over the facility at one point.

Airport authorities urged passengers to check their flight status directly with airlines before heading to the terminal.

"I heard at least two loud explosions that rocked the capital," Ahmed Sayed, a local resident, told The Associated Press.

The incident sparked immediate regional travel disruptions. Kuwait Airways announced it was canceling flights to and from the Saudi capital due to the closure of Riyadh airport caused by the local "security situation." Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also canceled multiple flights between their respective hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending till October 12.

Meanwhile, Canada’s embassy advised its citizens to avoid all travel to the airport, citing "ongoing military activity."

King Khalid International Airport has been repeatedly targeted during the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The Houthis have declared Saudi airspace a zone of military operations following an offensive launched against them by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government earlier this month, warning airliners to stay away.

Saturday’s incident follows a wave of missile strikes by the Iran-aligned group, which had already targeted the airport twice earlier in the week — leaving four people dead, including a Sudanese national killed on Wednesday, injuring others, and severely damaging an aircraft.

While Houthi attacks earlier in the week had already prompted several carriers to suspend services ahead of major energy and investment conferences scheduled in Riyadh, organisers today said that the events will proceed as planned, assuring attendees of their security. There was no immediate statement from the Houthis regarding today's attack.