Blast at Riyadh airport forces evacuations and flight cancellations

A loud blast at Riyadh's international airport on Saturday triggered evacuations and an ambulance response, leading to flight diversions and cancellations. The incident follows an escalation of Houthi missile strikes on the kingdom, with the airport already attacked twice this week, leaving four dead. Flight tracking showed all flights to Riyadh diverted or cancelled, with Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways suspending services into Monday. The Saudi government's media office and civil aviation authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident. The Houthis have declared Saudi airspace a military operations zone after a Saudi-backed offensive against them. Despite the attacks, organisers of major energy and investment conferences scheduled in Riyadh said they would proceed as planned.