In an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, several people were injured and following that, operations at the airport were suspended. This incident occurred on Saturday and according to officials, due to the severity of the attack, flights were halted.
Details of the Attack and Its Consequences
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for this attack, but this event occurs at a time when missile attacks by the Houthis from Yemen on Saudi Arabia have increased. This airport had previously been targeted in two other attacks earlier this week, resulting in the deaths of four people and revealing existing weaknesses in Saudi Arabia's defense system.
Read more: Explosion at Riyadh Airport injures several people
Saudi Arabia's early warning system had not issued any alerts prior to this incident. One eyewitness at the airport reported hearing an explosion and then seeing several people injured on the ground. Additionally, more than a dozen ambulances headed towards the airport.
International Reactions and Flight Status
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh announced that it is aware of the occurrence of these attacks and advises American citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas. The embassies of the UK and Ireland also became aware of a "serious incident" at the airport and responded. The Canadian Embassy also stated that "ongoing military activities" have impacted airport operations.
Flight tracking sites showed that all flights to Riyadh were either diverted or canceled, with only one helicopter observed flying over the airport. Kuwait Airways announced that it has canceled its flights to and from the Saudi capital due to "security conditions." Additionally, Etihad and Qatar Airways also canceled multiple flights to Riyadh.
Houthi attacks on Thursday and earlier last week caused several airlines to suspend or cancel their services to the Saudi capital, while Riyadh is soon to host important energy and investment conferences. However, the organizers of these conferences stated that the events will proceed as planned and assured participants about their safety.
The Houthis have declared that aircraft should avoid Saudi airspace and have designated the area as a military operation zone, as the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia launched an attack against this group earlier this month.
