Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was disrupted on Thursday after loud explosions were reported in the Saudi capital, with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement claiming it had launched a ballistic missile towards the airport.
Reuters, citing a witness and three people briefed on the incident, reported that smoke was later seen rising from a stationary aircraft at the airport. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 also reported a disruption in airport operations, with no recent landings or take-offs recorded for an extended period.
The incident comes amid a renewed escalation in the conflict involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, as regional tensions have intensified alongside the wider confrontation between the United States and Iran.
Houthis Issue Warning Over Saudi Airspace
The Houthis said they had targeted Riyadh airport with a ballistic missile and warned that continued attacks could affect Saudi airspace. The group has intensified its rhetoric against Saudi Arabia following Riyadh’s support for forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Saudi authorities did not immediately issue a detailed response to the reported airport disruption. However, the Saudi-led coalition said its forces had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial aviation in the region. Flight-tracking data showed multiple delays affecting arrivals and departures at King Khalid International Airport.
The reported attack comes after Saudi authorities said that three people had been killed earlier in the week in strikes targeting areas near Riyadh airport and Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The latest developments mark a significant escalation in regional tensions and could further disrupt air travel across the Gulf if attacks continue.