Several explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at King Khalid International Airport that halted flights. A witness said fire and ambulance crews were deployed, smoke was visible, outgoing flights were stopped, and passengers were told to evacuate and leave checked-in luggage behind. Flight tracker Flightradar24 showed no takeoffs or landings at the airport since shortly after noon.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed the attack on the airport was carried out with a ballistic missile, providing no evidence. Saudi officials had no immediate comment on the claim.
Britain said it had agreed with Israel to downgrade its consulate in east Jerusalem to a U.K. Mission, with 20 diplomats leaving and seven remaining to operate in a limited capacity. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband denied the building would close and said the remaining diplomats would continue working with Palestinians.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog honored six passengers on Thursday for their actions during a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, when the co-pilot attacked the captain and tried to crash the plane. The wounded captain opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to regain control and land safely. The six received the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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