King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the only main international airport in Saudi Arabia, has been closed until further notice due to severe explosions and a missile strike. Saudi officials have announced that incoming flights to this airport have either been canceled or redirected to airports in other cities such as Dammam, Jeddah, and Medina.
Casualties and Material Damage
This situation arose after explosions at the airport yesterday evening, with the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia reporting 12 fatalities and 309 injuries. Among the victims are four Saudi citizens and residents from Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Some of the injured are in critical condition, and material damages are currently being assessed.
Suspension of Flights and Damage Assessment
Saudi officials have stated that the suspension of airport operations will continue until the damage assessment is completed and the safety of airport facilities is confirmed, with no timeline yet established for the resumption of flights. Reports indicate that Terminal 3 of the airport has been damaged, with parts of its roof collapsed. Shrapnel has scattered across the airport premises, raising concerns about flight safety.
Meanwhile, flight tracking data shows that at least 225 flights have been canceled at Riyadh airport in the past 24 hours. Kuwait Airways has also canceled two flights from and to Riyadh, and airlines Etihad and Qatar Airways have canceled several flights, some of which will continue until Monday. Airport management has urged passengers to check their flight status with the airline before arriving.
Warnings and International Consequences
The armed forces of Yemen had previously warned about this and advised airlines against using Saudi airspace. Internationally, the U.S. embassy has urged its citizens to avoid Riyadh airport and its surrounding areas. The embassies of the UK, Ireland, and Canada have also warned about the "dangerous incident" and "ongoing military activity" in Saudi Arabia. A Western diplomat stated that Western embassies have prohibited their staff from using this airport for the next week.
Disruptions at King Khalid airport have intensified, especially since last Thursday, due to attacks by the armed forces of Yemen, resulting in over 500 flight cancellations. These developments have dealt a serious blow to the credibility of Saudi aviation and Riyadh's position as a regional transit hub, raising concerns about logistical and economic costs for the air transport and trade sectors in the region.
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