00:00I
00:33Let's go, let's go.
01:22Saudi Arabia is facing renewed security concerns after a loud blast was reported
01:28at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, October 10th, prompting emergency
01:34vehicles to rush to the facility and travelers to be evacuated from parts of the airport.
01:40This major development comes amid ongoing months-long Iran-America military clash.
01:46According to Reuters, an eyewitness and people briefed on the matter said more than a dozen
01:51ambulances were seen heading towards the airport after the blast was heard.
01:55The incident comes amid escalating tensions involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-aligned
02:02Houthi movement.
02:03Other media reports also said the airport was evacuated and air traffic was halted following
02:09the reported attack, while residents described hearing explosions.
02:13However, Saudi government officials and the country's Civil Aviation Authority had not
02:18immediately responded to requests for comment on Saturday's incident.
02:22The latest development follows earlier attacks on the airport this week.
02:27According to the reports provided, previous strikes left people dead and others wounded,
02:32while an aircraft was badly damaged.
02:35One report said three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, were killed in an earlier attack on
02:41Thursday, October 8th.
02:43The repeated incidents have raised concerns over the safety of air travel in the Saudi capital,
02:48particularly as the kingdom prepares to host major energy and investment gatherings.
02:53Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed flights heading to Riyadh had either been diverted
03:00or canceled.
03:01At one point, only a helicopter was seen hovering over the airport, according to the tracking
03:06data cited by Reuters.
03:08Airport authorities urged passengers to contact their airlines directly and check their flight
03:13status before traveling to the facility.
03:15Several international airlines have already adjusted their schedules.
03:20Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways canceled multiple flights between their respective hubs and
03:26Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday.
03:29Other carriers had also suspended or canceled services following earlier attacks.
03:35The disruption comes at a particularly significant time for Riyadh, which is due to host major energy
03:41and investment gatherings.
03:43Despite the security concerns, organizers said on Saturday that the conferences would go ahead
03:48as planned.
03:49They also sought to reassure attendees about security arrangements.
03:54Meanwhile, the Houthis have warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of
04:00military operations.
04:01Their warning follows an offensive launched earlier this month by Yemen's Saudi-backed government
04:07against the group.
04:08The situation highlights the growing risks facing civilian aviation as regional hostilities
04:14intensify.
04:15For now, questions remain about the circumstances surrounding Saturday's reported blast, the extent
04:21of any damage, and whether further flight disruptions will follow.
04:25Passengers traveling to or through Riyadh are being advised to check directly with their airlines
04:30for the latest updates as the situation develops.
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