Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital as witness reports evacuation
CAIRO (AP) — Several explosions were heard in Saudi Arabia's capital on Thursday, including a large blast at Riyadh’s international airport, a witness told The Associated Press, a day after the kingdom said an attack on the airport killed one person and wounded others.
The blasts had an immediate effect on markets, as the price of crude oil jumped and Saudi Arabia slid further into the latest front in the Iran war. Hundreds of flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen claimed responsibility for the new attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, saying the ballistic missile caused damage but giving no evidence. The Saudis had no immediate comment about the claim.
The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said they intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh, along with a ballistic missile fired toward Khamis Mushait, in the southwest near the Yemen border.
Saudi civil defense authorities said debris from an interception damaged a kindergarten and a medical complex, with no mention of any casualties.
The Houthis have repeatedly claimed attacks against Saudi airports, military and oil facilities in recent days.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, said in a statement late Thursday that the rebels fired more ballistic and cruise missiles at the airports in Riyadh and the southwestern city of Najran, near the border with Yemen, disrupting flights. The AP could not independently verify the claims.
Earlier, the rebels had warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they called a theater for its military operations.
In their new statement, the Houthis also warned people in Saudi Arabia to stay away from oil facilities that “represent targets for our forces" as the rebels press a declared blockade against the world's top oil exporter.
King Khalid International Airport “closed again,” the Flightradar24 monitor said Thursday afternoon on X not long after the blasts. “Last landing 80+ minutes ago. Last take off 90+ minutes ago.”
Fire and ambulance crews deployed and smoke was visible, the witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity around discussing security issues in the kingdom.
The witness said outgoing flights were halted and passengers were instructed to leave checked-in luggage behind and evacuate.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on X that Air India has suspended operations through Saturday, while Lufthansa Group said in a statement that its airlines will suspend their flights to Riyadh through Oct. 16.
A U.S. Embassy security alert issued Wednesday said citizens should be aware of potential airspace closures and told U.S. government employees not to travel within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the Yemen border.
On Wednesday, Saudi officials said attacks on the Riyadh and Abha airports claimed by the Houthis had killed three people — the first deaths since Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces launched a major ground and air offensive against the rebels.
The offensive is aimed at retaking territory that the Houthis seized a month ago along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast and on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The rebels' presence on the Bab el-Mandeb poses a threat to the crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has been curtailed due to Iran's attacks on ships.
Rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of turning the area around the Bab el-Mandeb into a war zone.
The deadly attacks in Saudi Arabia brought condemnation from countries including Britain, India, the United Arab Emirates and others.
Also Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said forces destroyed a platform in Yemen’s rebel-held capital of Sanaa that had been used to launch attacks on the Saudi capital. The AP could not independently verify that claim.
Saudi Arabia has sought support from allies, including the United States, in the face of the Houthi attacks. Officials have said U.S. support has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the latest offensive.
Turkey and Pakistan are assessing possible air defense, electronic warfare and technical assistance for Saudi Arabia under a trilateral agreement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, while stressing that the deal is defensive, not offensive.
“Turkey will not be sending troops into another country’s territory to carry out an attack,” he said, adding that Ankara was trying to resolve the issue through diplomacy.
Pakistan’s Information Ministry on Thursday said relevant authorities would provide details of any military involvement if necessary.
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Anna reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Aamer Madhani in Jerusalem, Fatma Khaled in Cairo and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed.
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