Riyadh airport closure extended through Oct. 17 after deadly attacks

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said on Oct. 12 that it had extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport to complete checks on facility safety and operational readiness with other authorities. The statement did not give a reopening date.[1]

A new aviation notice, A3604/26, says Riyadh's airport is unavailable from Oct. 12 at 08:45 UTC until Oct. 17 at 21:00 UTC. The New Indian Express reported that the extension disrupted airline service, including cancellations. The notice's expiry marks the end of its stated validity; it does not establish that the airport will reopen at that time or that a later notice will not change the restriction.[2][3]

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a follow-up statement that Sunday's attack on King Khalid International Airport killed a Pakistani resident and injured 11 others. The injured were taken to hospitals, and authorities were still assessing material damage. The first GACA statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Oct. 11, had reported injuries without a count; the updated toll appeared in a later statement reported by Saudi Gazette and Reuters.[7][8][6]

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 and caused a fire. AP reported that the Houthis claimed responsibility for both Riyadh attacks; Reuters reported the group's claim for Saturday's strike and separate claims involving Dammam airport and Aramco facilities. These remain attributed claims, not independent confirmation of who launched Sunday's projectile. King Khalid airport had remained closed since Saturday's attack, AP reported.[6][5][7]

Reuters also reported that Saudi authorities confirmed a separate attack at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam later Sunday, and that an eyewitness saw a projectile hit the tarmac near parked aircraft. This is a separate incident from the Riyadh airport strikes; the reports reviewed did not establish the full extent of damage or a casualty toll there.[6]

GACA's follow-up statement said Saturday's attack killed 12 people and injured 309. India's embassy in Saudi Arabia said one Indian citizen injured in that attack died Sunday. AP reported that the embassy's statement would bring Saturday's death toll to 13. The 13th death is an embassy-reported update; it was not included in the aviation authority's published count of 12.[4][5][6]

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said King Khalid International Airport was targeted in an attack on Saturday, Oct. 10. It reported several people wounded, said officials were assessing damage and determining the exact injury count, and temporarily suspended operations while it checked facility safety. The authority's public statement did not give a final casualty toll.[10][12][13][9]

In a follow-up statement early Sunday, GACA raised the toll to 12 dead and 309 injured. It said the dead included four Saudi citizens and eight residents of other nationalities, and that the injured were being treated at several hospitals, including some in critical condition.[4][11]

Before that official count, AFP cited a hospital source for at least two deaths and dozens of injuries, and a second source briefed on the matter for confirmation. AP cited an unnamed regional official for the account that a missile hit the domestic-terminal complex housing terminals 3 and 4. GACA did not specify a weapon or terminal. AP reported that a Saudi-led coalition blamed the Houthis; the group had not publicly claimed the attack in reports reviewed.[9][11][10][4]

The initial suspension notice ran through midnight after Saturday's attack, but GACA later said operations would remain suspended while it checked the airport's safety and readiness. Notice A3604/26 extends the stated period through Oct. 17 at 21:00 UTC. The New Indian Express reported that Air India and IndiGo had suspended Riyadh services through Oct. 15 while reviewing the new notice. Travelers should confirm current plans with their airlines because schedules can change while the airport is unavailable.[12][11][1][2][3]

This is separate from the Oct. 8 attacks covered in Wrivid's earlier report. GACA said those attacks on airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, and injured several others. The authority said operations later returned to normal; its Oct. 10 statement describes a new attack and a fresh suspension.[10][14][15]

The Houthis claimed responsibility for Saturday's strike and, according to AP, for Sunday's attack as well. Reuters reported the Saturday claim and separate Houthi claims involving Dammam airport and Aramco facilities. GACA's statements gave casualty updates but did not identify an attacker; the Saudi-led coalition described Sunday's projectile as unidentified. Responsibility remains an attributed claim, not independently established by the reports reviewed.[5][6][10][4][7]

AP and AFP reported that President Donald Trump, asked after Saturday's attack whether the United States might join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, said it was possible and that officials would consider the question. The reports did not describe a decision or a new U.S. military action. The remarks came amid Saudi-backed Yemeni government operations against the Houthis and a widening exchange of attacks; the sources do not establish what Washington will do next.[11][9]