Riyadh airport shutdown extended after deadly Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following deadly attacks blamed on Yemen’s Houthi movement that killed 13 people on Saturday and injured more than 300. A separate attack on Sunday killed a Pakistani national and left nearly a dozen others injured, further escalating security concerns across the kingdom.

The Saudi civil aviation authority said the airport would remain closed to allow officials to complete safety checks and ensure that its facilities were ready to resume operations. The shutdown has disrupted air travel across the region, affecting thousands of passengers and forcing several international airlines to revise their schedules.

King Khalid International Airport, the country’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, experienced an almost complete halt in scheduled flights on Sunday. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that 99.7 per cent of scheduled services were cancelled, while flight-tracking data showed no aircraft flying over Riyadh.

The disruption has also affected international connections, with airlines across Europe and Asia suspending services to Saudi Arabia. Germany’s Lufthansa Group has cancelled all flights to Riyadh until October 16, while Air France-KLM has extended its suspension of services to and from the Saudi capital until the end of October.

Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, has also extended flight cancellations affecting Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The US Federal Aviation Administration has advised American carriers to exercise caution when operating flights to or over Saudi Arabia.

Security concerns intensified after Saudi authorities released surveillance footage showing the moment a powerful explosion struck an airport area where passengers were waiting for document checks. The footage showed people scrambling for safety as debris fell from the ceiling and airport workers took cover behind their desks.

Many of those visible in the footage appeared to be Muslim pilgrims travelling to Makkah for Umrah. The incident has raised particular concern as the busy pilgrimage season begins with temperatures easing across the kingdom.

Saudi authorities have restricted media access to the affected sites and warned witnesses about potential legal consequences for publicly discussing the attacks. The release of the footage has provided a rare glimpse into the scale of the destruction following weeks of limited official information about the impact of Houthi strikes.

The continuing airport closure has also raised concerns about the economic consequences of the escalating conflict. Saudi Arabia is already facing pressure from reduced oil activity, with its real gross domestic product projected to contract by 3.6 per cent this year.

Major events planned in Riyadh this month could also face complications. These include the kingdom’s flagship investment conference and the WPC Energy Congress, where several leading oil executives have reportedly been removed from the programme.

The latest attacks represent a major disruption to Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector and have heightened concerns about the safety of civilian travel. With international airlines extending suspensions and airport operations still halted, the impact on passengers, businesses and upcoming events is likely to continue until authorities determine that normal operations can safely resume.