(Web Desk) - Saudi aviation authorities extended the shutdown of King Khalid International Airport (RUH) through Oct 17 on Monday following a series of deadly missile and drone strikes targeting the capital’s main airport.
The official Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) extends the suspension of flight operations as civil aviation inspectors and security forces assess damage and work to restore airspace safety across the region.
“The closure impacts nearly 700 flights per day,” Flightradar24 said on X.
The decision comes after a weekend of escalating violence, including a Houthi strike Saturday that killed 13 people and injured more than 300, followed by another strike Sunday that killed one person.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said Monday it destroyed ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-aligned group as fighting between the two sides continued.
Earlier today, Saudi Arabia issued a new NOTAM extending the closure of Riyadh Airport through 2100 UTC on 17 October. The closure impacts nearly 700 flights per day. You can view more on RUH connectivity at https://t.co/anSrUt4rq9 https://t.co/T3Qdham34M
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 12, 2026“Interception and destruction of two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait,” Col. Turki Al-Maliki, the coalition's official spokesman, said on X.
Earlier Monday, coalition forces also said they had destroyed another missile launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh.