Saudi Arabia issues early warning alert for threat in Riyadh as airport closures extend
The alert follows a weekend of strikes that hit Riyadh and Dammam airports and extended flight suspensions.
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Map: The Gulf and Hormuz, marking Riyadh, Dammam
UpdateMonday, October 12, 2026 at 2:05 PM ET
Three explosions were heard in Riyadh after the early warning alert was issued, according to witnesses and sources.
Saudi Arabia has issued an early warning alert for a potential hostile threat in Riyadh. The alert comes as Riyadh Airport remains under an extended flight suspension after confirmed damage from Houthi strikes, a suspension that followed renewed attacks on Sunday that also struck Dammam Airport.
Saudi Civil Aviation had said it was still evaluating the damage at Dammam, with no disruption confirmed at the time. Riyadh has not detailed the extent of the damage at King Khalid International, where deaths have already been reported this month alongside the airline cancellations now running through mid-October.
The Saudi-led coalition has said it intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at the capital, and the Houthis have claimed a separate attack on King Khalid Airport using two missiles, a claim Saudi officials have not confirmed. A report of heavy damage to a Saudi plane at Riyadh Airport also remains unconfirmed.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said he offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis after the strikes, an offer Riyadh has not acknowledged. The UK has advised against travel to most Saudi airports. With diplomatic moves yet to slow the pace of strikes, each new warning in Riyadh adds to a cumulative picture of the capital itself under sustained threat, rather than the isolated provincial incidents markets once looked past, keeping Gulf energy security and wider risk sentiment exposed to further escalation.