On October 10 and 11, airports in Riyadh and Dammam were targeted in two separate airstrike incidents. This follows targeted airstrikes at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport and Najran International Airport in Saudi Arabia on the evening of October 5, 2026. As a result, some countries have updated their travel advisories.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has confirmed that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam were targeted in two separate airstrike incidents on October 10 and 11, 2026. These incidents follow targeted airstrikes at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport and Najran International Airport in Saudi Arabia on the evening of October 5, 2026.
While the situation remains fluid, King Khalid International Airport remains closed to flight operations until October 17, 2026, with the airport’s reopening subject to safety inspections and official confirmation. King Fahd International Airport remains partially operational with significant flight disruptions. Both airports are undergoing safety inspections and damage assessments.
Following the latest developments, several countries have updated their travel guidance. This includes advice against all travel within 10 kilometers of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border, and all but essential travel to Aseer, Riyadh, Najran, and Jizan provinces; the cities of Taif, Jeddah, and Dammam; and all airports in Saudi Arabia except Medina International Airport. Some countries have also revised their general guidance, asking travelers to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, and not to travel to the Yemen border region.
Airport and airspace conditions remain subject to change at short notice, and both international and domestic travelers in the region may experience airport closures, flight cancellations, delays, rerouting, and disruption to connecting and onward travel.
Individuals should check their flight status directly with their airline before traveling to the airport and continue to monitor official airport and government updates. Employers and mobility teams should assess whether disruption may affect planned travel, immigration appointments, document-processing timelines, or an individual’s ability to enter, leave, or return to their country of residence.
Regional travel disruption
The disruption has resulted in broad airline cancellations, suspending, or adjusting services to Riyadh and other Saudi destinations—including Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina. Commercial flights continue to operate from other Saudi airports, but schedules remain subject to cancellations, diversions, and short-notice changes.
Travelers may face short-notice changes to flights, airport access, connections, and ground transport. These disruptions may affect an individual’s ability to enter, leave, or return to their country of residence, with related immigration and employment consequences where travel or mobility timelines are delayed.
Employers should be prepared to respond quickly where employees, dependents, business travelers, or visitors are affected, considering immediate duty-of-care needs alongside visa and residence-permit validity, re-entry permissions, required in-country presence, pending government appointments, document-processing timelines, work location, and business continuity.
Travelers should check security, safety, and flight status before traveling to an airport, monitor media, airport, and official government updates, follow local authority instructions and civil defense alerts, and keep travel plans under review. Travelers are also advised to avoid military and energy infrastructure sites, refrain from photographing or sharing information about security incidents, and remain indoors or use the nearest safe building or designated shelter if instructed to do so.
Actions for employers and individuals
We can support employers in identifying potentially affected employees, dependents, and business travelers; reviewing planned travel, assignments, and return journeys; and assessing case-specific immigration risks—including visa and residence-permit expiry, extended absence, and nationality-related restrictions that may affect re-entry.
We can also help organizations review broader workforce contingency planning and advise on compliant temporary working or relocation arrangements where disruption continues. We will monitor official announcements and share further guidance if confirmed aviation, border, consular, or immigration measures are introduced. For tailored advice, please contact our team.
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