Saudi Arabia Extends Closure of King Khalid Airport After Houthi Strikes

Saudi Arabia has extended the closure of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh until at least 17 October after further Houthi missile strikes. The airport, the kingdom's second-busiest, has faced repeated attacks since the start of the month. Earlier strikes killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the latest round of missiles caused additional damage and left one person dead. Some airlines, including Gulf Air and Bahrain Air, had already cancelled flights through the weekend. The Saudi military spokesperson confirmed that more missiles were fired at cities across the kingdom on Monday.

CCTV footage broadcast by Saudi state television showed the moment a missile struck the terminal on Saturday. Passengers standing in a queue were covered in smoke and falling debris. The attack destroyed a parked Airbus A320 and damaged at least five other aircraft. Fuel tanks and warehouses at the airport were also hit in earlier strikes.

The Houthis have declared Saudi airspace a zone of military operations. Their media office said the group had shut down Riyadh international airport. A Houthi spokesman warned employees at Saudi oil facilities and airports to stay away, calling the sites legitimate targets. The attacks followed a Yemeni government offensive that began earlier in the month.

The death toll from the Saturday strike included four Saudi citizens and eight foreigners. Among the foreigners were citizens of Bangladesh, the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. More than 300 people were wounded, some critically. All received treatment in Riyadh hospitals.

King Khalid handles a large share of the kingdom's international traffic. The extended closure forces airlines to divert to Jeddah or to airports in neighbouring Gulf states. Cargo and passenger schedules that had already been disrupted by the first attacks face further delays. No reopening date beyond 17 October has been announced.

Saudi air defences have intercepted some of the incoming missiles. Others have reached the airport perimeter or the terminal area. The military has not published a full count of launches or interceptions for the current series. The pattern of strikes has continued for more than a week.

The Yemeni government offensive that preceded the latest Houthi campaign aimed at retaking territory held by the group. The Houthis responded with long-range missiles aimed at Saudi civilian infrastructure. Previous rounds of fighting have produced similar cross-border attacks, but the concentration on a single major airport is new in the current cycle.

Passengers who were inside the terminal on Saturday described sudden explosions and the collapse of ceiling panels. Emergency crews evacuated the building within minutes. The airport authority later released images of the damaged aircraft and of the smoke-filled departure hall. Those images have circulated widely on regional networks.

Insurance costs for flights into Saudi Arabia have risen since the first strikes. Several carriers have added fuel stops or have rerouted entirely. The kingdom's tourism and business-travel recovery, which had been under way after earlier conflicts, faces a fresh interruption.

The Saudi government has not announced retaliatory strikes in response to the latest airport attacks. Its public statements have focused on the civilian casualties and on the continued operation of air defences. Diplomatic contacts with mediators who have worked on previous Yemen truces have not produced a pause in the missile fire.

King Khalid's closure also affects connecting traffic for pilgrims and for workers travelling to the Eastern Province. Alternative airports are absorbing some of the load, but capacity is limited. The civil-aviation authority has advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling to Riyadh.

The Houthis retain the ability to launch missiles from territory they control in northern Yemen. The systems have ranges sufficient to reach Riyadh. Saudi and coalition forces have targeted launch sites in past campaigns, yet the current series shows that at least some launchers remain operational. The airport will stay closed until the authority judges the immediate threat has receded.