Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed a missile attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, disrupting flight schedules as international carriers extended suspensions and aviation analytics revealed mass cancellations across the kingdom.
Travel to the Saudi capital remains severely disrupted after Yemen’s Houthis claimed they launched another strike on King Khalid International Airport on October 25, just hours after Saudi authorities announced flights had resumed following a two-week closure.
Breaking – Riyadh airport to resume operations at terminals 1, 2 despite renewed Houthi threatshttps://t.co/XNteoHCzk7
Cirium Aviation Data Shows Mass Cancellations Across Riyadh and National Airports
The escalation has nearly emptied the skies over the capital, with aviation analytics firm Cirium reporting that about 86% of scheduled flights at Riyadh’s main gateway were cancelled between October 8 and October 25. Out of 4,736 scheduled services, 4,071 failed to operate.
The upheaval extended far beyond the capital. Nationwide, more than 7,800 flights—representing 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports—were grounded during the same period. The peak arrived on October 12, when cancellations exceeded 60% of scheduled flights nationwide. Other regional facilities also recorded severe disruptions, including Dammam at 42% and Abha at 46.7%, where the Houthis also claimed strikes. Smaller regional airports experienced total groundings; for example, all flights were cancelled at Najran near the Yemeni border.
Explosions Heard In Saudi Capital As Fight With Houthis ContinueExplosions rang out in the Saudi capital on Sunday, as the kingdom was due to reopen Riyadh international airport despite repeated attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.https://t.co/U01LwwwxoG
The wider conflict intensified across multiple fronts as the Saudi-led coalition responded with military force. On October 26, Turki al-Maliki announced that air operations destroyed four ballistic missile launchers, a missile storage facility, and tunnels used by the Houthi movement in Yemen. Throughout the campaign, the coalition deployed surface-to-air Patriot missile batteries, using them at least 10 times on October 25 alone to intercept incoming projectiles. Further south, Saudi civil defense teams responded to falling debris in the Mecca and Medina regions after intercepting two Houthi missiles, though Houthi representatives dismissed accusations of targeting the holy cities as a complete fabrication.
Airlines Extend Suspensions as Yahya Saree Declares King Khalid Airport a Military Target
The resumption of limited operations at King Khalid International Airport met immediate pushback from military leadership in Yemen. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree issued a direct warning calling the facility unsafe and designating it an active military zone, stating that the Saudi regime bears full responsibility for any operations conducted at the airport.
Security Alert: U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia (October 25, 2026)Effective October 23, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks.Iranian-supported Houthis have… pic.twitter.com/QefFhJy5A1
The Yemeni Armed Forces warn all international, regional and local airlines – as well as staff and travellers – against using King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, as it is unsafe and serves as a military target for our forces.
Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesman, via Agence France-Presse
At least 19 international carriers refused to restore their schedules, extending suspension windows past the October 25 reopening. Etihad Airways cancelled services between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, while Emirates maintained flight suspensions or cancellations on routes to the Saudi capital. Flydubai cancelled services, and Air Arabia suspended flights from Sharjah with no return date announced. Lufthansa Group carriers suspended Riyadh operations through November 18, Air France-KLM extended its suspension through November 7, and carriers like IndiGo announced separate restrictive schedules across Saudi destinations.
Riyadh Air Shifts Operations 400 Kilometers North to Al Qassim
Faced with grounded fleets, Riyadh Air relocated several Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners 400 kilometers northwest to Al Qassim airport to maintain international connections. Passengers booked on these routes can use a complimentary shuttle service departing from the InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh, which will take around four and a half hours through the Saudi Arabian desert to Al Qassim airport.
Meanwhile, Saudia operated select Riyadh-linked services through Dammam and Al Qassim, providing bus transfers between the capital and the alternative airports.
Western Nations Warn Citizens Against Travel to Saudi Arabia
The renewed hostility prompted the UK Foreign Office to advise against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia. Australia updated its Smartraveller guidance to warn citizens against traveling to the aviation hub. The U.S. Department of State ordered non-emergency government employees and family members to leave.
Travel Advisory – Saudi Arabia – Level 3 – Reconsider Travel – October 2026The Travel Advisory for Saudi Arabia was updated on October 23, 2026, to reflect the threat of increased Iranian- supported Houthi regional aggression. The Travel Advisory reads:There were no changes to… pic.twitter.com/xVyKNZsgry
The transport disruption also hit high-profile events. The Future Investment Initiative summit, often described as the Davos of the Desert, was postponed to 2027. Government offices and major commercial centers, including the 99-story Kingdom Centre housing the regional International Monetary Fund headquarters, ordered staff to work from home.