Riyadh airport attacked again, loud blast heard two days after Houthi strike kills 3

On Saturday, Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was hit again and forced to evacuate, two regional officials stated on condition of anonymity. The incident occurred two days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed in the kingdom amid a string of assaults in a new front in the Iran war. Due to the attacks, flights to Riyadh were diverting elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker reported.

Kuwait Airways canceled flights citing the airport's closure, while Canada's embassy advised citizens to stay away from the airport, citing "ongoing military activity."

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the earlier attacks, including one on Wednesday that killed a Sudanese national. A resident reported hearing explosions in Riyadh. The Saudi government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A resident, Ahmed Sayed, told The Associated Press that he heard at least two loud explosions that shook the capital.

King Khalid International Airport issued a brief message instructing passengers to verify their flight status with airlines before proceeding to the airport. Over the past 24 hours, at least 225 flights at the airport were canceled, according to FlightAware.

The ongoing fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has intensified, with the Saudi-led coalition lending air support to government forces. The Houthis' gains have improved their surveillance of shipping on a vital Red Sea corridor, which is a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships. Despite claiming they only target Saudi shipping as part of a blockade retaliation, concerns over wider attacks remain.

The U.S. has supplied intelligence, target identification, and planning assistance to the Saudis amid the attacks on their airports, military facilities, and oil infrastructure. However, no immediate U.S. military aid has been reported. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure with the attacks but no new support was evident.

Saudi and Omani foreign ministers discussed the importance of diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions, while Saudi authorities warned the public about the legal consequences of filming, publishing, or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites.