A recent attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has left several individuals wounded and forced a suspension of airport operations, according to the country’s civil aviation authority. While no group has claimed responsibility for the assault, it coincides with a surge in missile strikes by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeting Saudi Arabia.
This incident follows two earlier attacks on the airport this week, which resulted in multiple fatalities including one pilot and highlighted the kingdom’s vulnerabilities in its ongoing conflict with the Houthis. Notably, Saudi Arabia’s early warning system failed to issue an alert prior to the attack on Saturday.
Current Situation
Eyewitnesses at the airport described a chaotic scene, with one individual reporting an explosion followed by the sight of multiple injured people on the ground. Emergency responders were seen rushing to the scene in more than a dozen ambulances.
An injured traveler recounted to Reuters witnessing an object flying across the sky just before part of the ceiling near a departure gate collapsed.
A local hospital source informed AFP that dozens were injured in the attack, with one eyewitness recalling,
“I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running,”
Referring to their location at gate 401 in the domestic terminal.
In light of the attack, Western embassies in Saudi Arabia have advised their citizens to avoid the airport. Several Gulf airlines, including Kuwait Airways, have canceled flights to and from the airport, citing the “security situation.” Flightradar24 indicates that all flights to Riyadh have either been diverted or canceled.
Medical personnel have been called to hospitals to manage the emergency, with a medical source stating,
“We were told we are dealing with a serious emergency situation.”
In response to the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed reporters outside the White House, stating that the United States may consider joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis.
“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,”
He remarked.
Flight cancelations
Kuwait Airways confirmed the cancellation of flights to and from Riyadh due to the airport’s closure linked to the ongoing security concerns. Similarly, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have also canceled multiple flights between their hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday.
The recent Houthi attacks, including those earlier in the week, had already prompted several airlines to suspend or cancel services to the Saudi capital, just ahead of major energy and investment conferences scheduled to take place in Riyadh. The Houthis have warned that airliners should avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a military operations zone following the Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s offensive against them earlier this month.
Aviation24news will continue to provide updates should the situation develop.
