Brief

Several injured as Riyadh airport attack forces temporary shutdown

Saudi civil aviation authority halted operations at King Khalid International Airport after an explosion injured several people.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sat, 10 Oct 2026 21:32:22 GMT

Several people were injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, prompting the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to suspend airport operations, Reuters reported.

What happened

According to GACA, the incident occurred in the afternoon and led to the evacuation of the terminal and a halt to all arrivals and departures. Flightradar24 data showed the last commercial landing at 14:05 local time and the last departure at 13:39. Ambulances rushed to the scene and witnesses described a loud blast and debris falling from the ceiling.

What the reports add

Yahoo News, citing Reuters, noted that the Saudi early‑warning system did not issue an alert before the blast and that no group had claimed responsibility, though the attack follows a series of Houthi strikes on Saudi aviation facilities. Gulf News added that the explosion was reported near Terminal 3 and that a helicopter landed nearby as part of the response. Both outlets mentioned that the exact casualty count remained unconfirmed.

What was said

Reuters quoted an injured traveller who said they saw “something fly across the sky” before part of the ceiling collapsed. Gulf News reported that GACA said the suspension was a precaution while authorities inspected the damage and coordinated with relevant agencies.

How it came about

The latest strike follows a wave of attacks on Saudi airports that began earlier in the week, including two missile strikes on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudi citizens and injured dozens, as covered in Felo’s Oct 9 report. Earlier explosions on Oct 8 also forced a temporary halt to flights, highlighting the airport’s vulnerability to missile attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthis.

Key facts

Several people were injured in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Oct 10, 2026. (news.yahoo.com)
GACA suspended all airport operations as a precaution. (gulfnews.com)
The last commercial landing was at 14:05 local time and the last departure at 13:39. (gulfnews.com)