Middle East latest: Riyadh airport flight disruption as Houthis renew attacks on Saudi Arabia

On Wednesday morning, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh faced significant disruption after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The attacks, which also caused damage at Abha International Airport, killed three people and injured 36 others, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation. Flightradar24 reported that 58 departures, or 15% of scheduled services, were delayed, while 11 flights, or 3%, were cancelled.

The airport experienced an average departure delay of 45 minutes, with a disruption index of 4.2 out of five, indicating major disruption.

Affected flights included Saudia's SV311 from Riyadh to Cairo, which was delayed by over two hours, and Yemenia's IY533 to Aden, delayed by more than three hours. Saudia's SV562 to Dubai and Turkish Airlines' TK145 to Istanbul were among the cancelled flights. The disruption persisted into Thursday, raising concerns about the impact of the escalating conflict on air travel.

The US embassy in Riyadh warned that the fighting could lead to further flight cancellations and airspace closures. US citizens were advised to check their flight status directly with their airline and the airport.