Riyadh Airport Shuts, Airlines Halt Flights After Third Houthi Strike
AP confirms explosions in the Saudi capital and a reported airport closure after Yemen's Houthis claimed a third strike on Riyadh. Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Explosions were heard in the Saudi capital Thursday as Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was reported closed following what Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed was a third attack on the facility in a single day, AP confirmed. At least one aircraft on the tarmac was severely damaged in the latest strike, and two major international carriers announced they were suspending Riyadh service.
What We Know
AP confirmed audible explosions over Riyadh and reported the airport had been closed to traffic. Yemen’s Houthis stated they had struck King Khalid International for a third time on Thursday; the Saudi-led coalition earlier said it had intercepted missile salvos before the latest reported impact, according to Middle East Eye.
At least one aircraft sustained severe damage in the latest wave. Lufthansa Group and Air India both announced they would suspend flights to Riyadh, citing safety concerns following the attacks. A third confirmed Houthi attack in a single day marks a significant increase in strike frequency against the Saudi capital.
Earlier Thursday, at least three people were killed in the initial Houthi strikes on Saudi airports. Full details on those attacks are in our earlier report.
What We Don’t Know
The Saudi government has not issued a formal confirmation of the full airport closure or the extent of aircraft damage as of this report. It is unclear how many flights were diverted, whether other international carriers beyond Lufthansa and Air India have grounded Riyadh routes, or when operations might resume. The full account of Saudi air defense performance across all three attacks remains unconfirmed and developing.
Context
Thursday’s strikes represent a sharp escalation in Houthi operations against the Saudi capital, extending a campaign that Yemen’s Iran-backed movement has sustained since the wider regional conflict intensified earlier this year. The Jerusalem Post has characterized the Yemen fighting as an overspill of the U.S.-Iran war, with the Houthis functioning as a core node in the regime’s proxy network across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is a central U.S. partner in containing Iranian military ambitions in the Gulf, and repeated strikes reaching Riyadh directly challenge the credibility of the kingdom’s U.S.-supplied air defenses. The impact on civilian aviation adds an economic dimension: oil markets were already elevated Thursday, with Brent crude trading near $104.60 per barrel amid separate reports that the White House was weighing additional Iran strike options, per The Hill. A disrupted Riyadh hub compounds supply-chain and energy-sector risk at an already volatile moment. For background on the Gulf tanker situation driving those price moves, see our earlier coverage of the tanker attacked off Qatar.
What to Watch
- Whether Saudi authorities officially confirm the airport closure and announce a timeline for reopening King Khalid International Airport.
- Whether additional carriers join Lufthansa and Air India in suspending Riyadh flights, and how long the halt lasts.
- Whether the United States responds to the sustained Houthi strikes on Saudi infrastructure with additional military action against Houthi positions in Yemen.
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