Etihad Airlines Extends Flight Suspension to Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Attacks

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it will continue to suspend flights to Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia until November 5. This decision comes after recent attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The airline first halted its flights to Riyadh on October 12, shortly after a deadly strike on a passenger terminal that killed 13 people. In a statement on Thursday, Etihad cited “operational disruptions” as the reason for the extended suspension.

On Wednesday evening, another attack targeted Dammam airport, resulting in two deaths and eight injuries. Although Dammam airport reopened the next day, the airport in Riyadh remains closed.

Etihad has also announced that it will only operate daytime flights to Jeddah, with all night flights canceled until November 5. The airline’s adjustments reflect the increasing frequency and severity of Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities and airports, which have escalated since the conflict in Yemen began in 2014.