Stories
Explosions Shake Saudi Capital as Riyadh Airport Closes
- •Several explosions, including a major blast, were reported in Riyadh with King Khalid International Airport shutting down operations.
- •Emergency services including fire and ambulance crews rushed to the scene as passengers were ordered to evacuate.
- •The blasts caused oil prices to jump immediately following a series of recent attacks linked to regional conflicts.
- •Recent escalations include Houthi-claimed attacks on Saudi airports resulting in multiple casualties and rising security concerns.
Key Questions Answered
Several explosions were heard in Riyadh, including a major blast at King Khalid International Airport, causing the facility to close and disrupting outgoing flights. While the exact cause was not immediately known and no group claimed immediate responsibility, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports, military sites, and oil facilities with drones and missiles.
Saudi officials reported that recent attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport killed three people and wounded several others. The strike on Riyadh's airport killed a Sudanese national, while attacks at Abha airport resulted in the deaths of Moroccan and Algerian residents alongside dozens of injuries.
Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces launched a major ground and air offensive to retake territory seized by the Houthis along Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Additionally, the Saudi-led coalition announced that its forces destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa used for attacks on Riyadh.
