Riyadh airport remains closed through weekend as Houthi attacks force airline cancellations
Saudi authorities have extended the shutdown of King Khalid International Airport until Saturday after renewed Houthi missile and drone strikes, prompting airlines to cancel flights to and from Riyadh.
Following a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks that have killed 14 people and injured more than 300, Saudi officials have prolonged the closure of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport until Saturday to finish safety and operational readiness procedures. The Houthis announced a ballistic missile strike on the airport on Monday, shortly after Saudi defenses reported intercepting a similar missile aimed at the capital, and also claimed a drone attack on an airbase in Khamis Mushait.
The shutdown has led airlines—including Lufthansa Group, Air France-KLM, Etihad Airways and Delta Air Lines—to cancel or postpone flights, with Delta pushing its inaugural Riyadh service to March 2027. Air traffic trackers show planes bypassing Saudi airspace, and the FAA and EASA have issued cautions to carriers. Analysts warn the sustained targeting of civil aviation could reshape risk assessments and route planning across the region.
Why it matters
The prolonged airport closure disrupts global travel, strains airline networks, and highlights the growing risk to civilian aviation in conflict zones.
How this story developed
- Oct 11 Missile strike on Riyadh airport kills 12, injures over 300
- Oct 11 Saudi authorities extended the closure of King Khalid International Airport.
- Oct 11 The strike on the Riyadh passenger terminal sparked a fire and prompted air-defence interception of a missile nearby. The Houthi movement said the attack responded to Saudi aggression, including a recent strike on Sanaa airport. The incident follows a larger assault the previous day that injured over 300 people and disrupted travel, prompting foreign executives to withdraw from the World Petroleum Congress. Saudi authorities assure heightened security for the upcoming World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative.
- Oct 11 He also named King Fahd Airport in Dammam, an Aramco‑affiliated petrol station and a refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region as targets.
- Oct 11 A second projectile hit the airport a day after the missile strike, raising the death toll to 13.
- Oct 12 A Pakistani national died in the latest projectile strike.
- Oct 12 The Omani embassy thanked Saudi authorities for the medical care provided to an injured Omani doctor.
- Oct 12 Saudi officials announced the continued closure of King Khalid International Airport pending safety inspections.
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