Riyadh Airport Resumes Normal Operations After Attacks Kill Three

RIYADH, Oct 10: Passenger movement and air traffic at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital returned to normal on Friday following two attacks that killed three Saudi citizens and injured several others, including citizens and residents of different nationalities, Saudi state media reported.

State-run Al Ekhbariya TV said passenger movement at the airport was “flowing smoothly,” with operational services restored and air traffic back to normal.

The broadcaster said the rapid restoration of operations demonstrated the readiness of the airport’s infrastructure and the flexibility of Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation system in responding to exceptional circumstances and limiting their impact. It added that passenger and staff safety remained a priority during the restoration of normal operations.

The attacks were not the first targeting Saudi civilian aviation facilities this week. According to the broadcaster, the Kingdom had faced a series of Houthi attacks targeting civilian airports since Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said Friday that three Saudi citizens were killed and others injured in two attacks carried out on Thursday. The attacks targeted facilities at King Khalid International Airport and a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft.

The authority said one attack struck airport facilities, while the second targeted a Saudi Airlines aircraft. Citizens and residents of various nationalities were injured in the incidents, with the severity of their injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The wounded were transferred to hospitals for treatment. The authority also reported property damage resulting from the attacks but did not specify the extent of the damage or provide further details about the affected facilities and aircraft.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation did not identify those responsible for the attacks in its statement.

However, Yemen’s Houthi group said Thursday that it had launched ballistic and cruise missile attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Najran Airport in southern Saudi Arabia and an air base in Khamis Mushait in the Kingdom’s southwest.

The claims came as Saudi Arabia faced repeated attacks on aviation facilities during the week, raising concerns over the security of civilian airports and the safety of passengers, airline personnel and airport workers.

The return of passenger movement and air traffic to normal marked the restoration of regular airport operations following Thursday’s attacks. Al Ekhbariya said airport services had resumed smoothly, highlighting the ability of Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation system to respond to disruptions and restore operations.

The broadcaster did not provide figures on the number of flights affected, the duration of any suspensions or delays, or the number of passengers impacted by the incidents.

The aviation authority likewise did not disclose the full extent of the material damage caused to airport facilities or the Saudi Airlines aircraft.

The incidents involved both airport infrastructure and a commercial aircraft, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation. The authority’s statement confirmed fatalities, injuries and property damage, while the Houthi group separately claimed missile attacks against multiple Saudi aviation and military targets.

Saudi state media said airport operations had returned to normal by Friday, although further details about the damage assessment and the circumstances surrounding the attacks were not immediately provided.