Houthi Attack on Abha Airport Grounds Eight Airlines, Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes Back in Yemen

Yemen’s Houthis launched missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia on July 13, grounding or diverting flights operated by at least eight airlines. The airport closure and follow-on cancellations disrupted regional travel while Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and UAE hubs continued operating.

The attack followed airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport earlier that day. Saudi-led coalition air defenses said they had “dealt with” the missile threats, and authorities reported no casualties.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, warned airlines not to fly through Saudi airspace. He said the warning should be taken “seriously until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.”

Passengers faced cancellations, diversions and delays across the region. At least 10 flights were canceled on July 14, followed by at least 11 Abha departures on July 15.

Regional flights bore the first impact

The disruption centered on Abha and short-haul links to Saudi and Gulf cities. Saudia canceled Abha flights to Riyadh and Jeddah, while flynas canceled its Jeddah service.

flydubai canceled flights to and from Abha, including FZ 811, and diverted one Abha-bound flight to Taif. Air Arabia canceled service G9195 from Abha to Sharjah, and flyadeal suspended two flights to Jeddah.

Air Cairo canceled all flights to and from Abha. Additional airline notices identified Air Arabia Egypt, Nile Air and Qatar Airways among carriers that canceled or suspended Abha services to Cairo and Doha.

The initial disruption count reached at least eight airlines. Separate airline notices expanded the list of affected operators.

The airport closure extended the disruption

Authorities temporarily closed the airport on July 13. A replacement NOTAM extended the closure through July 16.

At least 51 cancellations were recorded at Abha on July 16 alone. Across Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Jazan and Najran, reporting counted 213 cancellations and 207 delays as of July 17.

The cancellations did not represent a shutdown of Saudi aviation. Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam continued operating, as did major UAE hubs. The effects instead spread through connecting itineraries, leaving travelers stranded in Saudi Arabia and forcing some passengers to seek alternate routings.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines suspended flights to and from Dammam, Riyadh and Dubai through and including July 15. Lufthansa Group airlines kept flights to Dammam, Riyadh, Tehran and other Middle East destinations suspended until October 24, 2026.

The exchange began with strikes on Sanaa’s runway

The escalation started when forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, backed by the coalition, struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport. Gen. Taher al-Aqili, Yemen’s defense minister, said the operation aimed to stop an Iranian Mahan Air A340-300 from landing with a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“At this moment, we say that our patience has run out. Accordingly, we will respond appropriately to this treacherous and brutal act,” al-Aqili said.

The Houthis described the Sanaa strike as a “brutal aggression” and responded with the attack on Abha. The exchange broke a period of relative calm that had held since a 2022 truce.

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, the coalition spokesman, said air defenses had “dealt with ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the southern region.” The statement described the defensive response; authorities reported no casualties.

Governments raised warnings around the airspace

Canada updated its travel advice on July 14, urging travelers to exercise a “high degree of caution” and recommending they avoid “non-essential travel to Abha International Airport.” The United Kingdom and United States also tightened warnings for parts of Saudi Arabia because of the risk of falling debris from intercepted drones and missiles.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency reinstated warnings for airlines to avoid certain Middle Eastern airspaces, including parts of Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. The measures added a wider aviation-safety concern to the immediate airport closure.

Tommy Pigott, a U.S. State Department spokesman, said the United States stood firmly with Saudi Arabia “in confronting Iranian aggression, including attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis.”

Khaled Khiari, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for political affairs, warned the Security Council that “Yemen and the wider region cannot afford another cycle of escalation.”

Refunds and rebooking protections cover canceled flights

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation guaranteed full refunds or free rebookings for passengers whose flights were canceled. International transit passengers stranded while traveling through Saudia or Flynas could also use a 96-hour digital stopover visa.

Those measures apply to the canceled itineraries, but they do not restore the affected routes. Travelers with onward connections through Riyadh, Jeddah or Gulf airports still faced delays as airlines repositioned aircraft and adjusted schedules.

The operational picture remained unsettled on July 17. The airport’s replacement NOTAM had extended the closure or restricted status through the previous day, while regional tensions remained high.

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled support for potential Saudi military responses during briefings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Airline suspensions and airspace warnings therefore remained tied to both the airport’s status and the broader military exchange, with Lufthansa Group’s published suspension extending to October 24, 2026.