Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital was rocked by two loud explosions on Saturday, leading to multiple injuries and a complete halt of air traffic. The assault, which regional officials described as a dangerous escalation in the ongoing conflict in West Asia, forced the evacuation of parts of the facility as emergency services rushed to the scene.
Airport Operations Halted, Flights Diverted
Following the blasts, eyewitnesses reported seeing numerous injured individuals inside the terminal, with more than a dozen ambulances dispatched to the airport. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that all inbound flights to Riyadh were either diverted or canceled for nearly four hours after the last landing at 2:05 p.m. local time. Only a single helicopter was observed hovering over the facility.
Major regional carriers, including Kuwait Airways, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, announced the cancellation of numerous flights to and from Riyadh, with some disruptions extending into Monday. Citing the “security situation” and “ongoing military activity,” Canada's embassy advised its citizens to avoid all travel to King Khalid International Airport.
Escalating Regional Conflict
This latest attack comes just two days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed in a series of strikes against the kingdom. King Khalid International Airport has been a repeated target in the past week, following a major military offensive launched by a Saudi-led coalition against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.
The Houthis previously declared Saudi airspace a zone of military operations and warned airliners to steer clear, after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government initiated an offensive against them earlier this month. Previous Houthi attacks on the airport earlier in the week resulted in four fatalities, including a Sudanese national, and significant damage to an aircraft.
Conferences to Proceed Despite Tensions
Despite the heightened security concerns and travel disruptions, organizers of several major energy and investment conferences scheduled in Riyadh affirmed on Saturday that their events would proceed as planned. They assured attendees of their safety and security amidst the volatile regional climate. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility from the Houthi rebels for Saturday's specific attack.