A loud explosion was heard at Riyadh International Airport in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, prompting authorities to evacuate passengers from parts of the facility, witnesses and people familiar with the matter said. More than a dozen ambulances were seen heading towards the site.
The incident came amid intensified missile attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group, Reuters reported.
Riyadh International Airport had been targeted twice earlier this week. Four people were killed and several others injured in those attacks, while one aircraft was extensively damaged.
Saudi Arabia’s government media office and the Civil Aviation Authority did not immediately comment on Saturday’s explosion.
Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed that all flights bound for Riyadh had either been diverted or cancelled. Only one helicopter was seen flying over the airport.
Airport authorities advised passengers to contact their respective airlines directly and check the latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways cancelled multiple flights to Riyadh from their respective hubs. Some flight cancellations will remain in effect until Monday, according to the airlines.
Several airlines had already suspended or cancelled flights to the Saudi capital following Houthi attacks on Thursday and earlier this week.
The incident has also raised concerns over major energy and investment conferences scheduled in Riyadh. Organisers said the events would proceed as planned and sought to reassure participants about security arrangements.
The Houthis had earlier warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace. The group declared Saudi airspace a “military operations zone” after Saudi Arabia-backed Yemeni government forces launched operations against the Houthis earlier this month.