Saudi airport under attack again: Missile attack reported, many injured; passengers evacuated, flights diverted | Today’s news
Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was attacked again on Saturday (October 10th), prompting evacuations and widespread flight disruptions, as the kingdom faces escalating strikes by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
The missile hit the passenger terminal and injured several people, one of two regional officials told the AP. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The airport was already a destination this week.
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for Saturday’s incident.
US and European embassies warn citizens to avoid Riyadh airport
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed it was aware of the attacks on the airport and urged American citizens to stay away from the facility and surrounding areas.
“The US mission is aware of the October 10 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and strongly advises all US citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas,” the embassy said in a statement posted online.
The Canadian, German and Spanish embassies also warned their citizens against traveling to the airport.
The Spanish embassy described the incident as a “new attack” by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis in a message to X. A diplomatic source separately told AFP that the missile hit the airport around 1200 GMT.
The Canadian embassy said there was “ongoing military activity” affecting the airport, while the German mission referred to the prevailing situation without providing further details.
The French embassy on Friday urged its citizens to exercise “maximum caution” in Saudi Arabia following Houthi airstrikes in recent days. It also warned French citizens against taking pictures of the affected areas or sharing them online.
The government’s Saudi Center for International Communications, which oversees foreign media in the kingdom, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Flights diverted, the number of cancellations is increasing
The reported attack caused major disruption to air traffic, with flights bound for Riyadh being diverted to other airports, according to Flightradar24.
The airport also issued a warning asking passengers to check their flight status with their airlines before departing for the facility.
Read also | Saudi Arabia-Houthi tensions: Indian embassy warns; Air India, IndiGo cancel flights
Houthi attacks are intensifying as the conflict in Yemen widens
The latest incident comes amid an escalation in attacks attributed to the Houthis, which have opened a new front in a wider Middle East conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
King Khalid International Airport has come under attack several times in the past week following the launch of a major military offensive by the Saudi-led coalition against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for earlier attacks, including one on Wednesday that killed a Sudanese.
Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government and provides military support in its fight against the Houthis. Fighting between Houthi forces and Yemeni government troops backed by Saudi Arabia has intensified, with a Saudi-led coalition providing air support to help government forces reverse recent rebel gains along the Red Sea.
The Houthis’ advances have also increased their ability to monitor shipping along the Red Sea corridor, an important alternative route for maritime traffic amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran attacks shipping.
However, the Houthis have not officially confirmed responsibility for the latest attack at the time of reporting.
Read also | Putin-Trump phone call: What do we know about Russia’s latest effort to end the war with Iran?
