Riyadh Airport to Remain Closed Until October 17 After Houthi Attacks

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh suspended operations after the October 10 and 11 attacks that killed 14 people. Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation extended the suspension until 21:00 on October 17 for infrastructure inspections. A number of airlines cancelled flights.

tafs uz editorial deskFirst published on tafs uz 16 October 2026 at 02:462 min readAI translation

The key facts

King Khalid Airport is closed until 21:00 on October 17 (02:00 on October 18 Tashkent time) according to a NOTAM
In the October 10 attack, 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured; on October 11, a projectile hit Terminal 4 — one killed, 11 injured
The Saudi-led coalition blames the Houthis; the energy minister said the response will be serious

Airport Closure Extended

Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh have been suspended until October 17 following attacks by Yemen's Houthis. Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the extension of the suspension on October 12, citing the need to inspect the safety of the airport's infrastructure and ensure its readiness to resume operations. According to Reuters, the NOTAM flight safety notice states that the airport will remain closed until 21:00 on October 17, which corresponds to 02:00 on October 18 Tashkent time.

Attacks and Casualties

Airport operations were suspended after the attack that occurred on October 10. According to Saudi officials, 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured as a result of the incident. On October 11, another unknown projectile hit Terminal 4 of the airport: one person was killed and 11 were injured.

Reaction and Accusations

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman stressed that the response to the attacks against the country will also be serious. The Saudi-led coalition blamed the Houthis for the attacks on the airport. According to the publication, the Houthis have intensified attacks on airports and other facilities in Saudi Arabia in recent days and continue to strike targets on its territory amid escalating military conflicts in the region.