Riyadh airport blast claims reopen as Houthis allege fresh missile attack

Fresh explosions were heard in Riyadh as Houthis claimed another missile attack on King Khalid airport. The disruption halted flights, lifted crude prices and underscored the widening Yemen-Iran conflict.

In Short

• Witnesses reported smoke, sirens and emergency crews after the blasts
• Passengers evacuated terminals, leaving checked baggage as departures were halted
• Saudi forces said they intercepted missiles aimed at the capital and south-west

Several explosions were heard in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at King Khalid International Airport, a witness told The Associated Press, a day after the kingdom said an attack on the airport had killed one person and wounded others. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen claimed the new attack on the airport, saying the ballistic missile caused damage, but gave no evidence. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the claim.

Maj Gen Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, said coalition forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh, along with another ballistic missile fired towards Khamis Mushait in the south-west near the Yemen border. The Houthis have repeatedly claimed attacks on Saudi airports, military sites and oil facilities in recent days, and early on Thursday warned global airlines "for the last time" about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they called a theatre for their military operations.

The latest blasts had an immediate effect on markets, with crude prices rising. Flight monitor Flightradar24 said on X that King Khalid International Airport had "closed again" and posted: "Last landing 80+ minutes ago. Last take off 90+ minutes ago." The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said fire and ambulance crews had been deployed and smoke was visible.

The witness said outgoing flights were halted and passengers were told to leave checked-in luggage behind and evacuate. It was not immediately clear how many flights were disrupted. Saudi aviation and other authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

On Wednesday, Saudi officials said two attacks on airports claimed by the Houthis had killed three people, as the kingdom was pulled deeper into the latest front in the Iran war. They were the first deaths since Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces launched a major ground and air offensive aimed at retaking territory the Houthis seized a month ago along Yemen's western Red Sea coast and on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Officials said the attack on King Khalid airport killed a Sudanese national and wounded eight others, while the attack on Abha airport killed Moroccan and Algerian residents and wounded 28 others.

The attacks on the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter, have raised alarm. The rebels' presence on the Bab el-Mandeb poses a threat to the crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has been curtailed due to the Iran war. The deadly attacks drew condemnation from countries including Britain, India and the United Arab Emirates. Also on Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition said its forces destroyed a platform in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa that had been used to launch attacks on Riyadh, though AP said it could not independently verify the claim. Taken together, the developments marked another day of attacks, counter-claims and disruption centred on Saudi airports and the widening conflict linked to Yemen and Iran.

With PTI Inputs

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