Riyadh: Saudi aviation authorities have extended the shutdown of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Monday following a spate of deadly Houthi strikes that left at least 18 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Among the casualties were 13 people killed during Saturday's assault, marking the deadliest strike on the kingdom in over ten years.

In an official release, the General Authority of Civil Aviation "announced the extension of the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport", clarifying that the measure was required to "complete the necessary procedures to verify the safety of the facilities and their operational readiness". Officials gave no timeline for when air traffic would resume.

According to a senior aviation source overseeing Gulf flights for a commercial carrier, flight operations are expected to remain grounded through the end of the Saudi working week.

"They told us it would be until at least Thursday. There are no flights until the end of the week," the source told AFP, citing official notices dispatched on Monday. The source further noted that Terminals 3 and 4 sustained significant damage alongside critical radar and communications infrastructure, with runway integrity assessments still pending.

Regional carriers have begun adjusting schedules in response to the ongoing security situation. UAE flagship carrier Etihad Airways announced the cancellation of all Riyadh services until next week, attributing the decision to "regional disruption", while also halting flights to Jeddah and Dammam for the remainder of the week. Bahrain’s Gulf Air similarly confirmed the cancellation of all flights bound for Riyadh through Saturday.

Public transit servicing the hub has also been curtailed, with a senior official from the Riyadh Metro confirming to AFP that transport services to the three stations serving the airport have been suspended. (AFP)