Riyadh’s Main Airport Just Got Shut Down Until October 17 — Here’s Why

The Riyadh airport closure at King Khalid International Airport (RUH) has been extended to October 17, Saudi officials said this week, after Houthi forces fired missiles and drones at the Saudi capital for a third straight day. The closure follows a deadly weekend strike that killed at least 14 people and injured roughly 320 more, and it has already forced airlines on four continents to cancel or reroute flights.

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and two more aimed at the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait on Monday, according to coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki, who said all three were “intercepted and destroyed.” The Houthis claimed credit for both strikes, saying their main target was King Khalid International Airport itself, with a secondary drone launched at a military airbase near Khamis Mushait.

Why the Riyadh airport closure keeps getting pushed back

Saudi authorities first shut the airport after Saturday’s attack, which Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said targeted the facility directly. A Saudi investigation, described to the Associated Press by officials speaking anonymously, found that Houthi forces launched a wave of drones first to draw out air defences, then followed with cruise and ballistic missiles that travelled more than 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) to reach the capital. Investigators are now trying to work out why the kingdom’s Patriot interceptor batteries gave no earlier warning for weapons flying that distance.

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority says crews are still checking the airport’s physical safety and operational readiness before reopening, which is why the closure has already been pushed back once, from an initial reopening target to October 17.

Airlines cancel flights as the closure drags on

The disruption has rippled across the global aviation map. Etihad Airways cancelled all Riyadh flights until next week and suspended services to Dammam and Jeddah as a precaution. Gulf Air cancelled Riyadh flights through Saturday. Delta Air Lines postponed the planned launch of its new nonstop Atlanta–Riyadh route, which had been due to start October 23. Turkish Airlines, Air India Express, SriLankan Airlines and several Gulf carriers also cut services earlier in the week, and flight-tracking data showed aircraft actively diverting around Riyadh airspace while traffic built up at Jeddah instead.

The disruption has also hit Saudi Arabia’s events calendar. The kingdom’s flagship investment conference and the World Petroleum Congress energy gathering were both disrupted, and several oil executives were pulled from the WPC programme as a result.

Saudi officials signal a tougher response

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told reporters the airport attacks have tested the kingdom’s resilience and that “our response must be equally serious,” while insisting that Vision 2030 investment plans would continue regardless. The Houthis, for their part, warned international airlines and travellers to avoid Saudi airports entirely — except those serving Mecca and Medina — calling the facilities “unsafe,” and separately warned workers at Saudi oil sites and airports to stay away, describing them as “legitimate targets.”

US President Donald Trump said the Houthis are “misbehaving very badly” but gave no indication Washington would intervene militarily, even as Saudi officials privately pushed for more direct US involvement. A UAE diplomat, Anwar Gargash, called for “joint Gulf action,” arguing that attacks on Saudi Arabia threaten the security of the wider Gulf region.

What happens next for travelers

Passengers with bookings through Riyadh in the coming days should check status directly with their airline rather than assume flights will resume on schedule, since the October 17 date itself has already slipped once. Travelers connecting through Jeddah may see knock-on congestion as traffic diverts there. Airlines serving Mecca and Medina have largely kept those routes running, since the Houthis have specifically exempted the two holy cities from their warnings.

The Houthis are fighting forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, and the Saudi-led coalition has run an air campaign against them for years. The latest escalation has unfolded alongside wider regional tensions tied to the broader US-Israel confrontation with Iran, which Houthi leaders have cited as part of their motivation for targeting Saudi infrastructure.

Frequently asked questions

When will Riyadh’s airport reopen?
Saudi authorities currently say King Khalid International Airport will reopen October 17, though that date has already been extended once and could move again depending on the security assessment.

How many people have been killed in the attacks?
At least 14 people have died and roughly 320 have been injured across the string of attacks this month, according to Saudi officials cited by international wire services.

Which airlines have cancelled Riyadh flights?
Etihad, Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines, Air India Express, SriLankan Airlines and Delta have all cancelled, suspended or postponed Riyadh services, with several extending cancellations into next week.

Are flights to Mecca and Medina affected?
The Houthis have said those two cities are not targets, and most carriers have kept those routes operating.

Is the US getting involved militarily?
Not directly. The US has provided intelligence and planning support to Saudi Arabia, but President Trump has stopped short of ordering strikes on Houthi positions.

Why do the attacks keep happening?
The Houthis say the strikes are tied to the broader regional conflict involving the US and Israel’s confrontation with Iran, and they have vowed to continue targeting Saudi airports and oil facilities they consider linked to that fight.

Sources

• Al Jazeera — Houthi missile attack targets Saudi capital Riyadh for third day in a row. aljazeera.com
• ABC News Australia — Saudis probe Houthi attack on Riyadh airport amid ongoing attack. abc.net.au

For more on the regional fallout, see our coverage of the Bab el-Mandeb shipping disruption, the US travel advisory for Saudi Arabia, and the earlier first Houthi strike on Riyadh that began this run of attacks.