Saudi Arabia Continues to Halt Riyadh Airport Operations Until Safety Precautions Are Completed

Saudi Arabia has extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh as authorities continue safety inspections following deadly attacks over the weekend. Saudi Arabia also reported a fresh threat involving drones and cruise missiles on Monday.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said the suspension would remain in place while procedures to verify the safety and operational readiness of airport facilities were completed in coordination with the relevant authorities. The extension follows attacks on the airport on October 10 and 11 that killed 14 people and injured hundreds, disrupting air travel and prompting airlines to cancel or suspend services to Saudi Arabia. Several international carriers announced further flight suspensions on Monday, adding to travel disruption across the region.

A danger involving drones and cruise missiles against Saudi Arabia has been identified, tracked, and is being addressed, according to Major General Turki Al-Malki, the official spokesperson for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen. The Coalition had reported earlier in the day that a ballistic missile aimed toward Khamis Mushait had been intercepted and destroyed.

Mohammed Yousuf Ali, an Indian national who was killed in the October 10 attack, will have his funeral in Riyadh, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. According to the mission, it was helping the family with the necessary paperwork. Three injured Indian nationals were still in critical care, and two more had been admitted to the intensive care unit, according to a social media update from the embassy.

The remaining injured nationals had been released from the hospital, and two more were in standard hospital wards. The mission stated that it was still in contact with the families of injured people and was offering support after Embassy representatives visited hospitals to treat them.

Discussions on safeguarding energy infrastructure and ensuring dependable supplies throughout the Gulf are now more urgent due to the security situation. Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure, institutions, and resilience have been put to the test by the current situation. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on Monday that energy security cannot be taken for granted. He spoke at the 25th WPC Energy Congress, a worldwide conference of industry representatives and energy policymakers in Riyadh.

Despite the attacks at the airport, the conference has gone on. According to reports, the minister also presented plans to expand Saudi Arabia’s pipeline-based crude oil export capacity to up to 10 million barrels per day over the course of the next two to three years.

Widespread outrage and requests for a coordinated regional response have also been sparked by the attacks on civilian infrastructure. The president of the United Arab Emirates’ diplomatic adviser, Dr. Anwar Gargash, stated that collective security is a shared responsibility and that the security of Gulf nations is indivisible.