Saudi capital’s airport to remain shut this week as airlines cancel services
Saudi authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport following repeated ballistic missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels. The disruptions have significantly impacted regional aviation and raised concerns about the safety of civil infrastructure in conflict zones.
Why it matters
The sustained targeting of civil aviation infrastructure represents a significant escalation in regional conflict and poses severe risks to global travel and logistics.
General view of the highway leading to the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct 12. The authorities have extended the airport closure to Oct 17.
Listen RIYADH - The authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh’s international airport until Oct 17 and airlines scrapped flights after continuing attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis emptied the skies over Saudi Arabia’s capital.
Operations at King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, were suspended to “allow for the completion of procedures to ensure the safety and operational readiness of the airport’s facilities”, the Saudi civil aviation authority said in a statement.
Late on Oct 12, the Houthis said they had attacked the airport with a ballistic missile, shortly after Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the group towards Riyadh.
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