Saudi Arabia suspends operations at Riyadh airport after an attack causes multiple injuries

On Saturday, an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia left multiple people injured, according to the country's civil aviation authority. The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that the operations at the airport were suspended following a missile strike on a passenger terminal. Local medical sources reported that several individuals were wounded in the incident, prompting ER doctors to be dispatched to hospitals across Riyadh.

The local medical source stated that the situation was serious and that injured individuals were being moved to various hospitals.

Several Western embassies in Riyadh, including those of Germany, the United States, Canada, and Spain, advised citizens to avoid the airport. The U.S. embassy specifically acknowledged reports of attacks at the airport. Spain's embassy referred to the attack as a new assault by Houthi rebels in Yemen, while Canada's embassy warned of ongoing military activity in the region. These reports come amid ongoing conflict between Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen.

The Iran-backed Houthis have been conducting strikes on targets within Saudi Arabia, including multiple attacks on the Riyadh airport this week, resulting in the death of four people, several injuries, and damage to aircraft. Several airlines, such as Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Kuwait Airways, canceled flights between their respective hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday. There was no immediate statement from the Houthis regarding the reported blast on Saturday.

The conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen has escalated recently, with Houthi rebels making advances on strategic locations along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The Saudi-led coalition provided air support for Yemeni government forces in an attempt to reclaim those gains. This recent escalation represents a significant development in their multi-year conflict. In July, a peace deal between the parties unraveled, leading to an intensification of military operations on both sides.