An incident at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday left multiple people injured, prompting the Kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation to impose a temporary suspension on the facility's operations. In the aftermath, a number of international airlines withdrew their scheduled services and foreign embassies issued advisories directing their citizens to avoid the airport.

GACA's statement identified the date of the attack as Saturday, 10 October 2026 — the 29th of Rabi Al-Thani 1448H — and noted that a number of people sustained injuries whose full extent was still being evaluated. Flight operations were placed on hold while airport facilities underwent damage assessment and safety inspections carried out alongside the relevant authorities. The authority indicated that additional information would be released as it became available.

The October 10 incident formed part of a broader pattern of hostilities that also encompassed an expanding armed conflict in Yemen. Drone and missile strikes had previously hit King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport on 6 and 7 October respectively.

Two days before the October 10 incident, GACA recorded three fatalities and 36 people wounded across those earlier strikes. A statement released by GACA on Friday reported that two separate attacks on King Khalid International Airport the previous day had left three Saudi nationals dead and a number of others wounded. Two strikes were reported against airport infrastructure and a Saudia aircraft, according to statements from the relevant authority. Property damage resulted from the strikes, while people of multiple nationalities — among them Saudi citizens and other residents — sustained injuries that required hospital care.

Saudia acknowledged in a statement that an employee died as a result of the incident at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and the airline extended its condolences to the worker's family. A parked aircraft belonging to the carrier sustained damage at the airport, with the company noting that no one had been aboard at the time. Emergency response protocols were activated by Saudia in coordination with the relevant authorities, with assistance and support extended to those affected by the incident and to their families.

Akasa Air extended its suspension of Riyadh flights through October 13, citing an unresolved security situation as the reason for keeping the route grounded. Under the terms set out in a Saturday notice from the airline, passengers whose travel plans were disrupted had two options: a full refund returned to the original payment method within seven days, or the option to shift their booking to a new date at no extra cost. Travellers who had made bookings via third-party agents were directed to reach out to those agents for assistance. In a written statement, the airline described passenger and crew welfare as its foremost operational commitment.

Kuwait Airways removed flights KU775 and KU776, operating the Kuwait–Riyadh–Kuwait route, from its Saturday schedule following the airport closure. The airline noted that both the outbound service KU775 from Kuwait to Riyadh and the return service KU776 from Riyadh to Kuwait were taken off the schedule for Saturday, 10 October 2026, owing to the airport closure linked to the prevailing security situation. Travellers were advised to monitor their flight information directly through the airline, with alerts to be dispatched to the contact numbers tied to their reservations. Updates on flight-related matters were made available through Kuwait Airways' own digital and social platforms, and a statement from the airline extended gratitude to passengers for their patience and cooperation.

The foreign affairs ministry directed nationals whose flight arrangements had been disrupted by suspensions or delays to reach out to Saudi diplomatic posts in whichever country they found themselves. Staff at those missions were described as standing ready to offer practical support and guidance on next steps.

Travel notices were issued by a number of governments following the October 10 episode. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia advised American citizens to keep away from the airport and its surrounding areas. A separate requirement was set out for US government personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia who needed to pass through King Khalid International Airport, specifying that prior authorisation was required. Travellers were advised to check flight status directly with airlines and the airport, given the prospect of cancellations, airspace closures, and wider disruption. A separate notice stated that US government personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia were also required to obtain prior authorisation before using the airports serving Jeddah and Dammam. The embassy further noted that US government personnel in Saudi Arabia were barred from entering a 20-mile zone along the Yemen border, and that travel to the provinces of Jizan, Asir, and Najran, along with the cities of Qatif, Yanbu, and Taif, required prior authorisation.

Updated travel guidance from the British Foreign Office followed the incident at King Khalid International Airport, which it placed at approximately 3 pm local time. The advisory asked British nationals to avoid the terminal until Saudi authorities had cleared it and to monitor official Saudi communications in the interim.

Travellers holding Canadian passports were advised to keep away from the airport, with the Canadian embassy in Riyadh pointing to active military operations in the area as the source of both service interruptions and broader travel disruption. The embassy also advised Canadian travellers to monitor local news outlets, act on any guidance issued by local authorities, and verify their flight details directly with carriers before proceeding to the airport. Guidance issued by the embassy called for anyone who encountered military debris or fragments to withdraw from the vicinity without delay and report the find to local authorities.

The Japanese embassy characterised a series of Houthi strikes on airports and other civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia as unacceptable, stating through an official release that no form of attack directed at civilian populations or their facilities could be permitted. The embassy urged the group to avoid actions that would deepen tensions both within Yemen and beyond its borders.

Travel notices from both Germany and Spain were issued around the same time. Guidance from the German embassy in Riyadh called on German nationals to avoid passing through the airport and urged those already in Saudi Arabia to register with the Federal Foreign Office's crisis preparedness list, through which they would receive updates and practical guidance in the event of an emergency. The Spanish embassy advised its nationals to exercise appropriate caution and limit travel to what was strictly necessary.