Geopolitical events
On October 12, 2026, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation issued a Notice to Air Missions extending the operational shutdown of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh through 21:00 GMT on October 17, 2026. The closure follows consecutive ballistic missile and drone strikes launched by Yemen's Houthi movement that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300, marking the deadliest assault on Saudi civilian transport infrastructure in over a decade. International carriers have suspended flights to the capital, compounding regional supply--chain pressures and defense concerns across the Persian Gulf.