Flights at Jeddah Airport Remain Safe Despite Increasing Houthi-Saudi Conflict

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens (PWNI) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah, stated that flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah remain relatively secure despite escalating tensions from the Houthi-Saudi conflict.

"Regarding flight operations, based on monitoring from the Consulate General in Jeddah from October 6-8, 2026, flight activity at King Abdulaziz International Airport is still relatively controlled, with over 93 percent of flights operating as usual," said Heni in a statement on Friday (October 9, 2026).

However, Heni cautioned that amidst the dynamic security developments, there remains potential for flight operations to be affected in several regions of Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah Airport is known to be frequently used by Indonesian citizens for performing Umrah.

On another note, Heni also explained that Houthi attacks target Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The attacks that occurred from October 6-9, 2026, resulted in the deaths of three foreign nationals and injuring 36 others.

However, she confirmed that none of the deceased individuals were Indonesian citizens.

"As of the latest reports received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah, there have been no reports of Indonesians directly affected by the developments in the security situation," Heni stated.

"Both Indonesian Representations continue to monitor and maintain communication with the Indonesian community in their respective working areas to ensure the safety and security of Indonesian citizens," she added.

In response to the current situation, the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has also issued a warning to Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia.

"Avoid locations that could be potential risk points, limit non-essential travel, and adhere to the directives of local authorities. Indonesians are also urged to continue monitoring official information from the Saudi Government and Indonesian Representations," she emphasized.

For information, the Houthi group in Yemen has increased its attacks against oil-producing countries in the Persian Gulf.

Attacks that took place from Wednesday night (October 7, 2026) to Thursday (October 8, 2026) targeted tankers near Qatar and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This series of attacks has raised concerns over regional security and driven up global oil prices.