The UK government says some civilians have been injured after missile and drone launches by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted several cities, airports, military bases and energy infrastructure sites across Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as Saudi shipping vessels in the Red Sea.
Despite the attacks, the UK has not issued any "do not travel" warnings for most of Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Office advises against travel to within 10km of the Yemen border, and advises all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the border, including the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait in Aseer province. Other areas, including the capital Riyadh and the holy pilgrimage city of Mecca, currently do not have a travel advisory issued.
The FCDO warns of a risk of more attacks and escalation in Saudi Arabia, and says Saudi Civil Defence issues early warning alerts to people in affected areas. During a missile or drone attack, it advises staying indoors and under hard shelter, monitoring local media reports and following the advice of local authorities. It also suggests refraining from capturing or sharing images of conflict-related incidents, exercising caution at transport infrastructure including ports and airports, and staying away from oil infrastructure and military facilities.
Saudi Arabia issued a string of emergency alerts across the kingdom, including its capital, late Friday and early Saturday. The country confirmed on Saturday that it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh, but did not confirm any further strikes or casualties.
On Saturday, a column of black smoke was seen rising from fuel tanks near Riyadh's international airport, temporarily disrupting flights. As of Monday morning, flights to and from the airport are operating as normal, according to FlightRadar24. The FCDO says authorities can temporarily close airports near the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border, and advises checking with your airline before travelling to airports near the border.
British nationals currently in the Middle East should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and potential travel disruption. The FCDO also warns of a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation in the Middle East in relation to the conflict between Iran and the US, despite a memorandum of understanding announcement in June.
As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, there will be no special circumstances in place to cancel a trip for a full refund. Cancellation conditions depend on the holiday provider, and there is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if travellers want to cancel. Travel insurance claims due to safety concerns will not be possible unless government advice changes.