Saudi Arabia reported fresh missile and drone fire on Monday as Riyadh’s King Khalid airport remained closed after the weekend’s deadly attacks, Reuters reported.
The Saudi-led coalition reported incoming weapons, but their interception outcome was not immediately clear in Reuters’ afternoon report. Yemen’s Houthis claimed Saturday’s strike on a departure terminal.
Attention has also turned to the air defences. Two regional officials told the Associated Press on Monday that Saudi Arabia had opened an investigation into a missile-and-drone barrage that reached Riyadh airport. One of the officials said the inquiry would also examine why warnings did not come sooner. The officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly.
The attacks have extended beyond the capital. In a statement dated Sunday, Saudi state news agency SPA carried confirmation from the civil aviation authority that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam had been attacked. Damage assessments and safety inspections were underway, the authority said.
Britain’s Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Saudi airports except Medina. It tells British nationals to stay away from King Khalid airport until it is secure, follow Saudi authorities’ advice and check with airlines or tour operators before travelling. The guidance was updated on Sunday, before Monday’s renewed incoming-fire report.
The British warning describes a wider threat to airports, military bases, ports and energy infrastructure, as well as shipping in the Red Sea. It says people in the region should be prepared for flight cancellations, airspace closures and changes to travel plans.
A closed airport can leave passengers with missed connections, uncertain journeys and no firm answer on when services can safely resume. Repeated attacks could deepen that disruption even where defences stop incoming weapons. Protecting civil aviation is therefore an urgent part of Saudi Arabia’s response, alongside its military decisions.
