Several people have reportedly been injured in an explosion at Riyadh’s international airport in Saudi Arabia, prompting the evacuation of travellers from parts of the facility.

According to Reuters, the explosion occurred on Saturday, with eyewitnesses and people briefed on the incident confirming that multiple people were wounded.

One eyewitness said they saw an explosion and later found several people lying injured on the ground inside the airport.

More than a dozen ambulances were reportedly seen rushing to the facility following the incident.

Saudi Arabia’s government media office and civil aviation authority did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the explosion.

The incident comes amid escalating missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia.

According to Reuters, Riyadh airport had been attacked twice earlier in the week, leaving four people dead, several others injured and an aircraft severely damaged.

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that flights heading to Riyadh had either been diverted or cancelled, while a helicopter was seen hovering over the airport at one point.

Airport authorities urged passengers to contact their airlines directly and check their flight status before travelling to the facility.

Kuwait Airways announced the cancellation of flights to and from the Saudi capital, citing the airport’s closure due to the security situation.

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also cancelled several flights between their respective hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday.

The attacks have disrupted air travel ahead of major energy and investment conferences scheduled to take place in Riyadh.

However, organisers said on Saturday that the conferences would proceed as planned, seeking to reassure participants about security arrangements.

The Houthis have urged airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of military operations following an offensive launched against the group earlier this month by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.