Saudi Arabia has extended the closure of King Khalid Airport in Riyadh; according to Livemint it stays closed until October 17, while CNA writes “this week.” Since the weekend the Yemeni Houthi militia had repeatedly attacked airports in the country with missiles and drones. The heaviest hit came on Saturday, October 10; according to CNA 14 people died, Philstar gives twelve, and more than 300 were injured. On Monday the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a ballistic missile over Riyadh, according to Saudi Gazette; the Houthis spoke of an attack on the airport. Reuters reports a cancellation rate of 46.4 percent at all Saudi airports. The UN condemned the attacks on civilian airports. Reuters also reports that oil executives were dropped from the program of an energy congress in Riyadh.
Riyadh’s airport is the heart of Saudi infrastructure, and the country is the region’s largest oil exporter. If the Houthis repeatedly manage to penetrate air defenses, the risk grows for air traffic, oil facilities and sea lanes. The conflict is linked to the larger dispute over Iran.
Anyone planning a trip to Saudi Arabia should check flights and the Foreign Ministry’s travel warnings. For drivers the oil price counts: if Brent stays at around
Saudi Arabia and its allies say they are defending civilian infrastructure against terror and reserve the right to retaliate.
The Houthis call the attacks a response to Saudi air strikes in Yemen; critics see a dangerous widening of the regional war.
What is decisive is whether the air defenses hold and whether a ceasefire becomes possible; Riyadh’s attempt to create calm before an investor summit points towards negotiations. Worth watching are the oil price, the situation at the airport until October 17 and Iran’s stance.
CNA, Livemint, Reuters, ORF, Tagesschau, Saudi Gazette, Zeit, Kronen Zeitung (Oct. 12, 2026)
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia: Riyadh airport stays closed until October 17, missile alert again on Monday
New since yesterday: Saudi Arabia extends the closure of the capital’s airport, the military coalition intercepts another missile, and the oil price stays high. The casualty figures differ depending on the source.
Saudi Arabia has extended the closure of King Khalid Airport in Riyadh. According to Livemint it remains closed until October 17, while CNA speaks of “this week” (CNA, Livemint, Reuters). The cause is repeated missile and drone attacks by the Yemeni Houthi militia since the weekend. The heaviest blow hit the departures area on Saturday, October 10; since then 14 people have died, according to CNA, while the paper Philstar gives twelve dead, and more than 300 people were injured. On Monday the Saudi-led military coalition reported that a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh had been intercepted; the Houthis declared that they had attacked the airport with a ballistic missile (Saudi Gazette, GMA, Tagesschau, ORF). Explosions were heard in Riyadh, and residents had previously been warned of a “hostile threat.” Airlines cancelled their connections: Reuters reports a cancellation rate of 46.4 percent at all Saudi airports, while Kronen Zeitung speaks of 1,500 cancelled flights (this source only). German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, who had been stuck in Saudi Arabia since the weekend, was able to travel home, according to Zeit. The Houthis control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and have been fighting the Saudi-led alliance for more than a decade (ORF).
The situation has economic consequences. The price of Brent, the benchmark grade for North Sea oil, stood at around $106 a barrel on Monday (FinancialJuice, The Hill); the news agency Reuters reports that top oil executives were dropped from the program of an energy congress in Riyadh after the attacks. The agency AP reports that Saudi Arabia is investigating why air defenses failed to prevent the first attack. Iran, which is regarded as a backer of the Houthis, offered to mediate between the militia and Riyadh (Straits Times only). UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk condemned the attacks on civilian airports (Saudi Gazette, Asharq Al-Awsat). The Houthis claim that the Saudi air force flew 119 air strikes within 24 hours; this is not confirmed (Republika, Detik). For Austria, fuel prices and travel to the region matter most; whether Austrian visitors are affected is not known to DailyDrop. How long the conflict will last is open: according to ANSA, Riyadh wants to reach a ceasefire with the Houthis before an investor summit and is counting on Pakistan for that (ANSA only).
The consequences are also felt outside the region. The US embassy advised its nationals to be careful when choosing Saudi airports, according to Detik. Indonesian tour operators postponed pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, and Malaysia Airlines cancelled flights (Detik, Republika). Three of four injured Filipinos were in intensive care on Monday, according to Manila Times. Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks (Reuters). Livemint explains why missiles get through by pointing to mixed attacks of drones and missiles that are hard to intercept. A Middle East expert told Kurier that Trump had “given up the war against the Houthis very quickly” (Kurier only). Whether Washington will intervene is open.