Saudi Arabia Promises Response After Fatal Houthi Strikes Shut Down Riyadh Airport

Saudi Arabia has pledged a firm response to a wave of deadly missile and drone strikes targeting key infrastructure, following fatal attacks on King Khalid International Airport in the capital city of Riyadh.

Speaking at the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman warned that the kingdom would take decisive action in response to the escalating violence: "The events of recent weeks are serious. Our response must be equally serious."

The strikes, carried out by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement, caused significant casualties over the weekend. A strike on Saturday killed 12 to 13 people and injured over 300, marking the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. On Sunday, a second strike on a terminal killed a Pakistani national and injured nearly a dozen others.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the barrage, framing it as retaliation for military operations and blockades carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Meanwhile, health authorities in Houthi-controlled Sanaa stated that a child died and six people were injured during a Saudi air strike on a residence on Sunday.

Mass Flight Cancellations and Global Travel Advisories

The Saudi civil aviation authority extended the operational suspension at King Khalid International Airport to evaluate facility safety and readiness. Analytics firm Cirium reported that 99.7% of scheduled flights at the capital's primary hub were canceled on Sunday, leaving skies over the city virtually clear.

Major international airlines have adjusted or halted services to the region:

• Lufthansa Group canceled all flights to Riyadh through to October 16th.
• Air France-KLM extended its flight suspensions to the capital through the end of the month.
• Etihad Airways canceled around 20 flights serving Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam across Monday and Tuesday.

Aviation safety agencies, including the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), issued warnings regarding regional airspace. Governments including Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., the UK, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan advised citizens against traveling to the airport and other Saudi destinations.

Regional Escalation and Economic Fallout

The attacks come during a fragile period for regional stability following the breakdown of a four-year informal ceasefire in July. The Houthis launched a maritime embargo and initiated an offensive along Yemen's south-western Red Sea coast, taking control of areas overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. While the Yemeni government recently launched a counter-offensive to retake lost territory around the waterway, the conflict continues to disrupt oil transport routes.

The instability coincides with major economic events hosted in Riyadh, including the WPC Energy Congress and the upcoming Future Investment Initiative, where several high-profile oil executives were removed from speaker schedules. Saudi Arabia's real GDP is projected to shrink by 3.6% this year due to reduced oil activity and broader economic pressures.

In response to the developments, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that the United States "may" assist Saudi Arabia in retaliatory actions against Houthi forces. Simultaneously, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated he reached out to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to offer mediation and initiate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Houthi representatives in Yemen.