Canada Issues Riyadh Airport Travel Advisory After Deadly Houthi Attacks

Canada’s embassy in Riyadh remains open for consular assistance following deadly Houthi missile and projectile strikes against King Khalid International Airport, globalnews.ca reported on October 11, 2026. Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure as abhorrent and unjustified, while Ottawa issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and all travel to the airport.

Ambassador Warns of Debris as Airport Remains Closed

Ambassador Jean-Philippe Linteau released a video on October 11, 2026, advising Canadians in Riyadh to steer clear of any military debris, report it directly to local authorities, and refrain from posting about it on social media. The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen reported that a projectile struck a passenger terminal at the Riyadh airport on October 11, 2026. That strike followed a missile attack on the same terminal a day earlier, which killed 12 people and injured hundreds more, ctvnews.ca reported. Flight-tracking websites showed zero air traffic around Riyadh as the facility remained closed.

Ottawa Issues Travel Warnings and Condemns Escalation

Globalnews.ca reported that Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement late on October 10, 2026, offering condolences to the families of those killed and wishing a full recovery to the injured. The recent airport strikes mark a sharp escalation in the broader regional conflict involving Iran and Houthi forces.

Business Leaders Monitor Regional Security and Trade Ties

Jeffrey Steiner, head of the Canada-Saudi Business Council, noted that while the violence causes a short-term pause for safety and commercial activity, it remains vital for Ottawa to condemn civilian targeting while maintaining long-term economic ties. The attacks coincided with the opening of the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh on October 11, 2026. Canadian firms still plan to attend the upcoming Future Investment Initiative summit later in October, which supports Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the Kingdom’s economy away from oil. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is expected to lead a delegation of Canadian pension funds to Saudi Arabia in the coming months to discuss new investment opportunities.

More on this story: Riyadh Airport Operations Halted After Missile Strike Hit Terminal Complex · World Leaders Condemn Deadly Houthi Strike on Riyadh Airport