Lufthansa Group and several Indian airlines have suspended flights to and from Riyadh following renewed Houthi attacks and threats against Saudi Arabia, deepening disruption at one of the region’s major aviation hubs.

Lufthansa Group said its airlines would suspend Riyadh services through October 16, citing the latest developments in the Middle East. IndiGo suspended flights until October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air cancelled services through October 10 as airlines reassessed security conditions.

The decisions followed a claim by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement that it had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm that the airport itself had been struck, although witnesses reported seeing smoke rising from a stationary aircraft at the airport.

Saudi authorities said earlier this week that attacks on airports in Riyadh and Abha had killed three people. The Saudi-led coalition has also reported intercepting missiles launched toward Riyadh and other locations. Debris from an interception reportedly damaged a kindergarten and a medical facility in the capital.

The attacks have caused significant disruption to air travel. Flight-tracking data showed several dozen international flights to Riyadh cancelled on Thursday, while Cirium data indicated that nearly half of scheduled departures from King Khalid International Airport had been cancelled or were not operating by Thursday afternoon.

Air India said one of its Delhi-Riyadh flights turned back to the Indian capital as a result of the developing security situation. The airline and other affected carriers have offered passengers options including refunds and complimentary rescheduling.

The latest disruption highlights the widening impact of renewed fighting in Yemen and growing regional tensions. The Houthis have warned airlines against operating in Saudi airspace and have also threatened energy infrastructure, raising concerns for both international aviation and global oil markets.

With Riyadh serving as a major regional aviation and business centre, prolonged flight suspensions could affect thousands of passengers and further disrupt international travel at a time when airlines are already navigating wider Middle East airspace restrictions.

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