Explosions heard in Saudi capital and Riyadh airport, and other Mideast developments

Several explosions were heard in the Saudi capital on Thursday, including one at the Riyadh airport that halted flights, a witness said. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed the blast came from one of their ballistic missiles.

Meanwhile, Britain says it demoted its consulate in east Jerusalem to a mission and that 20 diplomats will leave the country and Israel honored six passengers on the Sept. 30 FlyDubai flight that the co-pilot tried to crash as heroes.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Thursday. Read our full coverage here.

Explosions are heard in the Saudi capital

A witness says several explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at the city’s international airport.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen claimed the new attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, saying a ballistic missile caused damage. They provided no evidence, and the Saudis had no immediate comment about the claim.

Fire and ambulance crews were deployed and smoke was visible, the witness said.

The witness said that outgoing flights were halted, and that passengers were instructed to evacuate the airport. It was not immediately clear how many flights were disrupted, but the witness said the terminal was crowded with passengers and that people were instructed to leave all checked-in luggage behind.

The witness spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

— By Josef Federman

Israeli officer killed, 3 soldiers injured in vehicle accident in Lebanon

An Israeli military officer was killed and three soldiers suffered minor injuries when their vehicle overturned in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the military said.

The vehicle overturned during an operation in the Litani area. The military said it was reviewing the incident.

Israeli troops remain in parts of southern Lebanon despite U.S.-mediated talks aimed at securing their withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament. The militant group has refused to disarm, while Israel continues to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon.

Israeli strikes kill woman and child in Gaza after evacuation orders

Israeli strikes that followed evacuation orders in Gaza City and southern Gaza killed two people, including a child, on Thursday evening, local health officials said.

A strike on a house in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood killed a woman and a child and wounded 10 other people, while another strike elsewhere in the city wounded six, officials at Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Gaza City evacuation orders, and it was unclear what the strikes targeted.

In southern Gaza, Israel’s military said it “struck several weapons storage facilities” after issuing evacuation warnings. No casualties were reported.

UK downgrades consulate in east Jerusalem after Israeli pressure

Britain said it had reached an agreement with Israel's government to downgrade its consulate in east Jerusalem, and a small team of diplomats will continue to operate in what will now be known as the U.K. Mission.

Israel's government said last month it would close the consulate in response to the United Kingdom banning trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a statement that the consulate had “ceased to function as a consulate.” He said 20 British diplomats will leave Israel, and that the building will continue to operate with seven diplomats engaged in limited activity.

“Israel will no longer turn its cheek to diplomatic attacks against it," he said.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband denied the building will close. Miliband said the seven diplomats remaining at the U.K. Mission will continue to work with Palestinians, but gave no details.

Israel honors 6 passengers for heroism on FlyDubai flight

Israeli President Isaac Herzog honored six passengers Thursday for helping save lives aboard a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30.

Officials said a co-pilot on the plane attacked the captain and tried to crash the flight. The wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing a group of passengers and crew members to take control and land safely.

The six passengers received the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism at a ceremony in Jerusalem.

“By following the example of today’s honorees and heroes, we can make our world a safer place,” Herzog said.

Zvika Manes said his daughters’ cries prompted him to act. “Every father and every parent, when they hear that cry, acts without thinking to try to save lives,” he said.

The other recipients were Tali Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan and Or Pardilov.

US targets remaining vessels allegedly linked to Iran’s ‘shadow fleet’

The Trump administration on Thursday sanctioned 17 tankers it accuses the Iranian government of relying on to move billions of dollars worth of oil and gas to foreign markets. The U.S. Treasury actions are the latest push as part of Washington’s punishing economic campaign against Tehran.

“Treasury is starving the tyrannical regime in Tehran of the money it uses to wage war in the region, and we will continue exposing those who enable the regime’s oil sales,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a news release.