New explosion at Riyadh airport: injured and flights cancelled as Turkey condemns the Houthis

A powerful explosion hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, October 10. According to a diplomatic source cited by AFP, it was a new Houthi missile attack from Yemen against Saudi Arabia. A hospital source said five people injured at the airport are in critical condition, as relayed by Greek public broadcaster ERT (in Greek).

More than a dozen ambulances were seen heading to the airport, while travellers were evacuated from the premises, according to witness accounts. The airport authority urged passengers to contact their airlines directly about the status of their flights before setting out for the airport. ERT adds that the Canadian, German and Spanish embassies in Saudi Arabia warned their citizens to avoid the airport.

Flight cancellations

Kuwait Airways cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, citing the security situation. Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also cancelled a number of flights to and from the Saudi capital, with some cancellations running through Monday, October 12.

The new explosion follows attacks on the same airport earlier this week that, according to ERT, killed four people, injured several others and destroyed a Saudia aircraft, with a column of smoke rising over the airport. The Houthis also targeted the airport of Abha, in the south of the country, this week. For the casualty figures given by Saudi civil aviation authorities and the Houthi claims, see Geopolitiki’s reports on the attacks of October 6 and 7 and on the strikes of October 8.

Condemnation from Ankara

Turkey’s foreign ministry condemned the attacks by the Houthi militia on the Abha and King Khalid airports “in the strongest terms”, according to TRT World. “Once again, we emphasise that we stand in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia,” the statement said. The ministry called for attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure to stop immediately and for disputes to be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Ankara’s stance carries particular weight after the Mecca Defence Alliance, the defence arrangement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Turkey’s defence ministry said on October 8 that it is taking measures towards sending forces to Saudi Arabia, while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hastened to clarify that Turkey will not send troops to carry out attacks on the Houthis.

The escalation in the Gulf comes as fighting in Yemen between government forces and the Houthis has intensified, with UN envoy Hans Grundberg warning that the country has returned to full-scale war. Attacks on civilian airports directly hit air travel across the Gulf region.