Saudi Arabia extends Riyadh airport shutdown after latest Houthi strike kills one

The suspension follows a fresh missile hit that added to earlier attacks that left at least 12‑13 dead and hundreds injured.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:52:25 GMT

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it is extending the suspension of all flights to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh after a new Houthi missile strike killed one person, officials said.

What happened

The latest attack occurred on Sunday, the day after a Saturday strike that killed 13 people, according to Saudi state television. CCTV footage shown by the Saudi aviation authority showed smoke and falling masonry in the terminal as the missile hit. The airport remained closed for safety verification, and the Saudi military said additional missile and drone threats were being monitored.

What the reports add

The Guardian reported that the Saturday attack killed 13 people and injured more than 300, and that the Sunday strike added one fatality. France 24 noted that an earlier strike on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded hundreds, and that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations re‑classified a nearby incident in Oman as an attack after a tanker was hit by a drone. The Independent highlighted that British nationals were warned to avoid Saudi airports, citing a UK Foreign Office advisory updated on 11 October, and that the new Sunday attack killed one person after the previous weekend’s strike killed 13.

What was said

Saudi energy minister Abdulaziz bin Salman told the 25th WPC Energy Conference that “fear has no place in the Saudi lexicon,” as reported by the Guardian. The Saudi military spokesperson said further missile and drone threats had been detected, also cited by the Guardian. The UK Maritime Trade Operations statement about the Oman incident was quoted by France 24. The Independent noted the UK Foreign Office’s travel advisory, but did not include a direct quote.

How it came about

The series of attacks follows a resurgence of Houthi missile strikes that began in early July. Earlier this week, Felo News reported on the killing of three foreign nationals in attacks on Abha and Riyadh airports (article). On 11 October, Felo covered a Houthi warning that all Saudi airports except Mecca and Medina were targets (article). The airport was briefly reopened on 9 October after a strike that killed three Saudi citizens (article), but the latest attacks forced another closure.

Key facts

Saudi Arabia extended the suspension of all flights at King Khalid International Airport after a new Houthi missile strike killed one person. (theguardian.com)
The Saturday attack killed 13 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi state TV. (theguardian.com)
The UK Maritime Trade Operations re‑classified an incident near Sohar anchorage in Oman as an attack after a drone hit a tanker. (france24.com)
British nationals were advised to avoid Saudi airports following the attacks, per the UK Foreign Office. (independent.co.uk)

Where accounts differ

Number of deaths in the Saturday attack: 13 people killed (theguardian.com); at least 12 people killed (france24.com); 13 people killed (independent.co.uk)