Riyadh Airport Grounds Flights Following Houthi Missile Strike

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have temporarily halted all operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday following a missile attack that left numerous individuals injured. The incident has triggered a rare emergency mobilization of medical personnel and prompted several foreign embassies to advise their citizens to avoid the facility.

The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that several people were hurt at the sprawling airport but noted that the full scope of casualties is still being assessed. A diplomatic source attributed the strike to a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement, an Iran-backed group that has frequently targeted Saudi infrastructure since a UN-brokered truce collapsed in July.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes inside the domestic terminal. One passenger told AFP they were waiting near gate 403 when they witnessed an explosion strike gate 401. “I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running,” the witness said. Another individual reported suffering cuts to their shoulders and arms from shattered glass.

Health officials responded by issuing a mass call-up for emergency room doctors across the capital to manage what one medical source described as a “serious emergency situation.” Many of the wounded, including five patients in intensive care at one local hospital, are reported to be in critical condition. Reports also indicate that several pilgrims traveling to Mecca were among those injured.

The attack comes amidst escalating hostilities in the region. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a series of strikes on the same airport that resulted in three fatalities and damage to an aircraft, although they did not announce involvement in Saturday’s incident. The frequency and scale of recent strikes on Riyadh are considered unprecedented since the conflict intensified eight months ago.

Multiple embassies, including those of the United States, Canada, Germany, and Spain, issued safety warnings urging their nationals to steer clear of the airport. A senior Western diplomat revealed that several missions have taken the precautionary step of prohibiting staff travel to and from the airport for the coming week.

Concurrently, fighting continues on the ground in Yemen. Military sources report that Saudi-supported government forces are advancing against Houthi fighters in areas captured last month near the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait. While the Yemeni government announced a counter-offensive to reclaim territory, Houthi forces claim to have repelled the assault. Independent verification of these claims remains difficult due to the volatile security environment.