King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh was evacuated Saturday after a blast was reported, witnesses and local officials told several news agencies.
A Saudi official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that many people were wounded after a missile hit a passenger terminal. Saudi authorities have not yet issued a public statement.
The AFP news news agency also reported a witness hearing an explosion while waiting to board a flight.
Several Western embassies in Riyadh, including those of Germany, Canada and Spain, urged citizens to avoid the airport.
Spain’s embassy referred to a “new attack” by the Houthi rebels in Yemen while Canada’s embassy warned of ongoing military activity.”
Strikes hit Riyadh Airport earlier this week
The reports come amid intensified fighting between Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthis have been launching strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia, including several this week on the airport in Riyadh that killed four people, injured several others, and damaged planes.
Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways canceled multiple flights between their respective hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday. Kuwait Airways also cancelled its flights on Saturday.
There was no immediate Houthi statement about the reported blast on Saturday.
Last month, Houthi rebels made advances on important strategic locations along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, with a Saudi-led coalition providing air support for Yemeni government forces seeking to take back those gains.
The Houthis have responded by launching attacks into Saudi Arabia, which represents a significant escalation in their multi-year conflict with Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government after a peace deal unraveled in July.
The Saudi-backed government in Yemen last week announced a counter-offensive aimed at retaking all areas held by the Houthis, especially those around the Bab al-Mandab strait.
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Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
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