Several individuals sustained injuries during an attack on Saturday afternoon at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The incident forced a temporary suspension of all operations at the facility as officials began assessing the extent of the damage and calculating the total number of casualties. So we’ll make a decision, we just found out about the recent attack.
This latest event follows a series of hostile actions targeting the airport. On Thursday, Houthi forces launched a ballistic missile toward the Riyadh facility, an action their military spokesperson claimed hit its intended target, disrupted air traffic, and caused significant damage. That earlier assault resulted in the deaths of at least three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, per GACA reports. Furthermore, recent alleged Houthi attacks on both Abha and King Khalid airports have left three civilians dead and 36 others injured. According to earlier on Saturday, King Khalid airport urged passengers to contact their airlines directly and check their flight status before heading to the airport amid, Of disruptions to air traffic. The airport did not specify the cause of the disruptions in its initial advisory.
While the Houthi group, which is currently engaged in conflict with the Saudi-backed government in Aden, has not officially claimed responsibility for Saturday’s specific incident, they have previously issued warnings to aviation companies to avoid Saudi airspace, labeling all aircraft as potential targets outside of specific holy sites like Mecca and Medina. According to yousef Mawry, reporting from Yemen on Saturday,, The Houthis have yet to claim responsibility for the latest attack.
Responding to the security situation, international authorities have reacted swiftly. US President Donald Trump stated his administration is reviewing the latest reports to determine a response, noting that the US moves quickly when making such decisions. Meanwhile, foreign diplomatic missions, including those from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and the United States, have issued urgent social media advisories for their nationals to avoid the airport and surrounding areas. Canada specifically cited ongoing military activity as the reason for its warning.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested that citizens with disrupted travel plans contact their local embassies for assistance. Kuwait Airways confirmed the cancellation of its flights, citing the closure of the airport due to the escalating security threat.
Global reactions have been sharp, with Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemning the attack in the strongest terms and characterizing it as a direct threat to regional security. The governments of Jordan and Oman expressed their sympathy and solidarity with Riyadh, while the Japanese embassy strongly condemned the repeated targeting of Saudi civilian facilities and aviation hubs by Houthi forces.
