Saudi Arabia’s air traffic has been severely disrupted by sustained ballistic missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, leaving operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport significantly affected. More than 4,000 flights were cancelled between October 8 and 25.

According to recent data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, 4,071 of the 4,736 scheduled flights at the airport during the period were cancelled, accounting for approximately 86 per cent of all scheduled services.

The Houthis have intensified attacks this month targeting Saudi Arabia’s airports, seaports and oil facilities, raising concerns over the security of the country’s critical infrastructure and transportation networks.

King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, has reportedly come under repeated attacks. Thirteen people were killed in an attack on October 10, described as the deadliest assault in the country in more than a decade.

After remaining closed since October 10, the airport was partially reopened under certain conditions by Saudi authorities on Sunday (October 25).

Source: Al Jazeera