Airlines halt Riyadh flights after missile strikes hit airport

Major international and Indian airlines have suspended flights to and from Riyadh after missile strikes by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit King Khalid International Airport on Thursday. Shrapnel from a projectile struck a parked Saudia Airlines plane, causing a fire and heavy damage, while video footage showed thick black smoke rising from the facility.

Flight Suspensions

Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Lufthansa halted services to the Saudi capital. Air India said a Delhi to Riyadh flight turned back and was cancelled, with services suspended until October 10. IndiGo cancelled its Riyadh flights through Friday and diverted a Hyderabad-to-Dammam service, while Akasa Air suspended operations until Saturday. Lufthansa grounded its flights until October 16.

Ground Impact

FlightAware reported more than 275 flight cancellations at the airport on Thursday, affecting forty percent of scheduled arrivals and thirty percent of departures. The Houthis claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on airports in Riyadh and Najran, while Saudi officials reported three deaths from airport strikes this week and said debris hit a kindergarten and a medical complex.

Context

The Houthi movement is an armed political and religious group based in Yemen that has been engaged in a prolonged civil war against the country's internationally recognised government. Saudi Arabia leads a regional military coalition supporting the Yemeni government, making Saudi infrastructure a frequent target for cross-border missile and drone attacks by the group.