Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport temporarily suspended runway activity after reports of explosions

Aviation and media reports said King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh temporarily suspended runway activity on Thursday 30 July 2026 after reports of explosions heard around the Saudi capital. According to aviation notices (NOTAM), the suspension was set to run from 21:00 GMT on 29 July until 03:00 GMT on 30 July.

Saudi authorities have not officially confirmed a link between the reported explosions and the suspension of airport operations. As of publication there was no official confirmation of the cause of the explosions, their exact location, or whether the airport itself was targeted, and Saudi authorities had not reported any casualties or damage connected to the event.

The Fars news agency, citing Arab sources, also reported the temporary closure of the airport after explosions were heard in Riyadh. A halt to operations at the Saudi capital's main airport matters for markets because Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest oil exporters and disruption to its infrastructure feeds into regional risk assessments.