ABHA, Saudi Arabia, October 8, 2026 — Abha International Airport (AHB), in southwest Saudi Arabia near the Yemen border, was hit this week in the same wave of Houthi attacks that struck Riyadh. Two people were killed and 28 injured at Abha, Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority says, and UAE carriers cancelled their Abha flights on Wednesday and Thursday.
What happened
- The attack: Abha airport was struck this week; reports place it on October 6 or 7. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said two women, residents of Moroccan and Algerian nationality, were killed and 28 people were injured. It said airport facilities were damaged.
- Thursday, October 8: flights at Abha were still disrupted on Thursday morning, The National reports. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed a missile aimed at Khamis Mushait, in the same southwestern region.
- flydubai: cancelled its Dubai–Abha services. Resumption date: TBA.
- Air Arabia: cancelled Sharjah–Abha flights on Wednesday, October 7, and Thursday, October 8. It expects to operate normally from Friday, October 9.
- Saudi domestic flights: a carrier-by-carrier count for Abha has not been published. Status: TBA.
- Official airport status: no formal closure has been reported. One travel outlet describes Abha as operating under an elevated alert.
Background
This is the second time in three months that Abha has been hit. Saudi authorities closed the airport from July 13 to July 16 after an earlier Houthi missile and drone attack, ch-aviation reported at the time, and at least eight airlines cancelled flights.
What it means for non-revs
- Avoid Abha for now. It sits near the Yemen border and has now been attacked twice since July.
- Air Arabia’s Friday restart is a plan, not a guarantee. Check the flight on the day before you leave for Sharjah airport.
- flydubai has given no return date. Do not build an itinerary around Dubai–Abha until it does.
- Expect short-notice cancellations. Airlines dropped flights here with almost no warning in July and again this week. Have a paid backup or flexible plans.
- Check advisories and your employer’s rules. Several governments advise against travel near the Yemen border. Look for any pass-travel restriction on your airline’s employee site.
Sources
- The National — Saudi Arabia flights: Airlines including British Airways and KLM suspend or cancel routes
- Gulf Business — Riyadh airport flights disrupted as attacks trigger delays, cancellations
- Associated Press, via KSAT — Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital as witness reports evacuation
- Travel Tourister — Saudi Arabia Flight Status Oct. 8: Is Riyadh Airport Open?
- ch-aviation — Attack on Abha, Saudi Arabia impacts at least eight airlines
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