Saudi airport attacked again: Missile strikes passenger terminal, many injured

A missile strike on Saturday at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, resulted in several injuries. This attack followed two days earlier when three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed in what appears to be a new front in the expanding Iran conflict. The airport had suspended all air traffic at the time of the strike, though the official speaking to media declined to provide their name for safety reasons.

The Saudi-led coalition, which has been battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, has been responsible for several attacks on King Khalid International Airport over the past week. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for an earlier assault that killed a Sudanese national on Wednesday.

In response to the attack, airport operations were temporarily halted and travelers were evacuated. Dozens of ambulances rushed to the scene, and passengers were advised to check their flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport. Flightradar24 reported that about a dozen flights to and from Riyadh had been diverted nearly four hours after their last landing at 2:05 pm local time.

The attack forced the cancellation of at least 225 flights at King Khalid International Airport in the previous 24 hours, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Kuwait Airways canceled flights to and from Riyadh due to the ongoing security situation. Air India Express and Air India have also suspended flights to and from Riyadh until October 14 and October 15, respectively.

The US Embassy in Riyadh advised American citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas, while the UK Embassy urged British nationals to stay away from the airport.

Despite the attacks, two major Saudi conferences, the World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative, will proceed as planned. Organizers have assured delegates of their safety and suggested alternative routes to Riyadh, including a four-hour drive from Dammam.