The airport remains closed until October 17 following Houthi strikes that targeted five Saudi airports 10 times in a week, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 300. Yemen's Houthis warned airlines and travelers to avoid Saudi airspace and all airports except Medina and Mecca, though Mecca has no airport of its own and relies on Jeddah.
The disruption has prompted international carriers including Qatar Airways, Etihad, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and IndiGo to suspend or cancel Saudi routes into late October, while Delta postponed the launch of its first direct US flights to the kingdom until March 2027. The US Federal Aviation Administration also issued a caution advisory through December 10 covering Saudi airspace at all altitudes, citing military activity and satellite navigation interference.