Riyadh, shaken by explosions / Students and diplomats took refuge in shelters

Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, was shaken by several explosions on Thursday, October 8, as the conflict between the Saudi kingdom and the Iran-backed Houthi militias intensifies. Diplomats and company employees took shelter, while international schools took precautionary measures, with some children being evacuated to basements.

The Houthis claimed a ballistic missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and warned airlines, “for the last time,” to avoid Saudi Arabia. Preliminary information indicates that an aircraft caught fire on the runway, and the attack may have caused a fire at one of the airport’s fuel tanks. Authorities did not immediately provide a toll for Thursday’s explosions.

The day before, attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is providing military support to the Yemeni government in an offensive against the Houthi rebels.

Operation “Dawn of Yemen,” launched on Monday, has caused more than 330 deaths, according to available information, while more than 200,000 people have been displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration. The conflict reignited in July, after years of calm. The Saudis and their allies are calling for international support, while Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have announced the rapid implementation of a defense agreement signed in August.