The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Loud blast heard at Riyadh airport: Travellers evacuated, airlines cancel flights
Riyadh airport blast: Air India and international carriers suspend flights as Houthis escalate missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, prompting mass evacuations and widespread security disruption across the region.
A loud blast at Riyadh's international airport prompted an evacuation of travellers and the deployment of more than a dozen ambulances, according to an eyewitness and people briefed on the matter.
The incident occurred amid a recent surge in Yemeni Houthi missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia, with the airport already attacked earlier in the week, causing casualties and damage to a aircraft.
Flight-tracking data indicated widespread disruption, as flights to Riyadh were diverted or cancelled, and at least one helicopter was observed hovering over the airport at some point.
Several carriers paused or cancelled services to Riyadh in the wake of the event, including Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, with disruptions extending into the following day.
Passengers were advised to contact their airlines and check flight status before heading to the airport, as authorities did not immediately provide public statements on the incident.
Organisers of major energy and investment conferences planned to proceed as scheduled despite the security situation, while the Houthis have urged airliners to avoid Saudi airspace, designating it a zone of military operations.