Attack on Riyadh int'l airport causes injuries, suspends operations

An attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday left several people injured and prompted a temporary suspension of airport operations, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said, reported Xinhua.

The authority said in a statement that the attack occurred amid continued attacks targeting civil aviation facilities in the kingdom, adding that the authorities were working to determine the exact number of people injured.

Airport operations had been temporarily suspended pending damage assessments and safety checks, the authority said, adding that further updates would be issued later.

An explosion was heard at Terminal 3 of the airport in the afternoon, and smoke was briefly seen rising near the terminal. Witnesses said people at the airport were being evacuated.

Yemen's Houthi group has repeatedly targeted the airport in recent days. The latest attack came amid a sharp escalation in Yemen, where Saudi-backed government forces are fighting the Houthis.