Traffic at Riyadh airport suspended until end of week after attacks

Air traffic at Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia will remain halted for several more days following a series of attacks on the city's airport, according to a notice to airmen issued on Monday. The flight ban is set to continue until midnight on Sunday, with precautionary measures cited as the reason. The Saudi civil aviation authority stated that additional steps are needed to ensure operational safety during the extended suspension.

Several airlines, including Gulf Air and carriers within the Lufthansa Group, have temporarily suspended their flights to Riyadh. Air traffic disruptions have also been reported in Dammam, east Saudi Arabia, and Jeddah, a coastal city in the west.

The Emirati news site Gulf Business reported that nearly 1,500 flights had been cancelled in Saudi Arabia due to the attacks. The Houthi militia has intensified its attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting airports and oil facilities among other sites. In recent days, Saudi Arabia has reported strikes on the international airport in Riyadh, resulting in at least 12 deaths and over 300 injuries, one of the worst attacks in years.

Despite the ongoing attacks, the Saudi government is striving to maintain an image of calm and stability. Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman told an energy congress in Riyadh on Monday, "The word ‘fear’ does not exist in the Saudi dictionary."