An aircraft of the German air carrier Lufthansa. (File photo)
Lufthansa, Indian Airlines suspend flights to Riyadh after Houthi attacks: Reuters
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Lufthansa Group airlines and several Indian carriers have suspended flights to Riyadh following claims by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis of a ballistic missile strike on King Khalid International Airport, according to Reuters.
The German aviation group said its airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, would halt services to the Saudi capital through October 16 due to “current developments in the Middle East.”
Air India cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 10, offering affected passengers full refunds.
One of its flights, AI2243 from Delhi, returned to the Indian capital on Thursday “in the interest of passenger and crew safety.”
Air India Express and Akasa Air also suspended services until October 10, while IndiGo cancelled flights to and from the city until October 9 and diverted a Hyderabad-Riyadh service to Dammam, added the report by Reuters.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group’s forces had fired a ballistic missile that “accurately hit its target” at the airport, disrupting operations.
He issued what he called a “last warning” to international airlines, stating that Saudi airspace “has become a theater for our military operations” except over the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, and urged workers at oil facilities to stay away from potential targets.
Saudi authorities said they intercepted missiles, with debris reported to have fallen near airport facilities.
Witnesses and sources briefed on the matter reported smoke rising from a stationary commercial aircraft at the airport.
Earlier this week, Saudi officials reported three people killed and dozens injured in Houthi-claimed strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports.
Aviation data underscored the scale of disruption.
FlightRadar24 showed numerous international cancellations, while Cirium figures indicated nearly half of Riyadh departures—around 50 percent or 169 of 378 scheduled flights—had been cancelled by mid-afternoon Thursday, with further cancellations expected Friday.
The India-Riyadh route ranks among the busiest international corridors from India.
The suspensions come amid renewed fighting in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia backs the UN-recognized government against the Houthis.
The group has framed its attacks as retaliation for Riyadh’s support of the offensive.
Other carriers, including Philippine Airlines, also adjusted schedules amid the heightened risks.
