Attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have severely disrupted air travel in Saudi Arabia, with aviation data showing that nearly nine out of every 10 scheduled flights at Riyadh’s airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25.

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, 4,071 of the 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were canceled, representing approximately 86% of all planned services during that period.

The Houthis have intensified their campaign against Saudi Arabia this month, launching ballistic missiles and drones at airports, ports, and oil infrastructure. Riyadh’s airport, the country’s second-busiest after Jeddah, has been hit repeatedly. An October 10 attack killed 13 people, marking the kingdom’s deadliest such incident in more than a decade.

Saudi officials partially reopened the airport on Sunday following a shutdown that began October 10. Domestic services resumed at Terminal 1, while Saudi airlines were permitted to restart international flights from Terminal 2.

However, the Houthis claimed another attack on Riyadh’s airport on Monday, describing it as a “military target.” The continuing threat has led international airlines to suspend flights to the Saudi capital into November. Delta Air Lines has also delayed the planned launch of its Riyadh service until next year.

Riyadh Events Canceled as Disruptions Spread Nationwide

The aviation crisis has forced organizers to cancel or postpone several events in Riyadh, including Saudi Arabia’s flagship investment conference. Widespread flight disruptions have made travel to and within the kingdom increasingly difficult.

The impact extends well beyond the capital. Cirium data indicate that more than 7,800 flights, accounting for 45% of scheduled departures across Saudi Arabia, were canceled between October 8 and October 25. The worst day was October 12, when cancellations exceeded 60% of scheduled flights nationwide.

Other airports have also experienced major disruptions. Cancellations affected 42% of scheduled flights in Dammam and 46.7% in Abha, where the Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks. Several smaller airports experienced even more extensive shutdowns. At Najran, near the Yemeni border, all scheduled flights were canceled.