Indian Embassy in Riyadh urges Indians in Saudi Arabia to remain alert, stay indoors

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has advised Indian nationals across the Kingdom to remain vigilant and stay indoors as necessary, as missile interceptions were reported in and around Riyadh on Thursday.

“Remain alert and vigilant, stay indoors as necessary, and follow the instructions issued by local authorities through official channels,” the embassy said in its advisory.

It also advised Indians not to circulate or repost videos or news related to the ongoing events, and to follow official channels for updates.

The Embassy of India in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, along with their outsourced services through VFS, are functioning normally, it said. Further advisories will be issued when necessary.

Indian nationals can reach the 24-hour Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline on the toll-free number 800 247 1234.

The embassy also urged the Indian community to follow its official social media accounts for updates, including its X account, @IndianEmbRiyadh.

The Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday that its forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh.

Yemen's Houthi movement separately claimed it had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile. Saudi Arabia had not immediately confirmed the claim.

Saudi civil defence said debris from an intercepted missile caused material damage to a kindergarten and a medical clinic complex in Riyadh.

King Khalid International Airport has urged passengers to check with their airlines and confirm their flight status before travelling to the airport, following missile interceptions reported in Riyadh on Thursday.

The airport said regional developments could affect scheduled flights and advised travellers to contact their airlines directly for the latest information.