Explosions rock Riyadh airport as Yemen’s Houthis claim missile attack

SEVERAL explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a major blast at King Khalid International Airport that disrupted flights and prompted passengers to evacuate, a witness said.

AP reported on Frida that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed the attack, saying one of their ballistic missiles had struck the airport and caused damage. They provided no evidence to support the claim, while Saudi authorities had not immediately commented.

Firefighters and ambulance crews were deployed to the airport, where smoke was visible following the blast, the witness said.

Departing flights were halted and passengers were instructed to evacuate the terminal, which was crowded with travellers, according to the witness.

Passengers were also told to leave their checked-in luggage behind as they exited the airport.

The extent of the disruption and the number of flights affected were not immediately clear.

The witness spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly.

The reported attack comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran-backed armed groups and countries aligned against them. - October 9, 2026