Strait of Hormuz ship attacks and Riyadh airport closure disrupt regional travel

Maritime shipping across the Middle East faces severe disruption alongside regional aviation shutdowns as maritime strikes and missile assaults escalate across key transport corridors.

Commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz have come under repeated fire, with up to 24 ships targeted this month, according to tally figures reported by the Financial Times. Maritime Executive reported that six commercial vessels were struck on Sunday followed by four more on Tuesday.

Controversy surrounds the fate of the Singapore-flagged container vessel GFS Pride, which Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims sank after striking a naval mine south of the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities in Singapore disputed the mine claim, stating the ship was struck by a projectile, adding that all 21 crew members were safely rescued. A second Singapore-registered carrier, the GFS Giselle, was hit on the same day but managed to depart under its own power.

Meanwhile, US Central Command announced that American forces destroyed an Iranian-linked dhow in the Gulf of Oman on Oct. 6, asserting that the vessel was gathering intelligence and targeting US Navy ships. According to an anonymous US military official cited by Reuters, Iranian forces have turned to small craft and unarmed observers to spot targets following the destruction of much of Iran's radar infrastructure, though Tehran has not commented on the assertion. Iran’s navy announced earlier this week that operational surveillance units had been positioned across the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and east of Hormuz.

The maritime hostilities have heavily tested alternative supply chains across the Gulf. Kpler data indicates that approximately 40 percent of Gulf crude oil now avoids the Strait of Hormuz via overland pipeline networks, up sharply from 17 percent prior to the conflict. US Central Command maintains that commercial traffic continues to transit the strait under allied protection alongside an ongoing blockade against Iran. The United Arab Emirates had previously suspended all flights, trade, and financial dealings with Iran in August.

Simultaneously, air travel across the Arabian Peninsula has suffered massive cancellations following attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement. Saudi aviation officials reported that an attack on Oct. 10 killed 12 people and wounded 309, while a subsequent strike on Oct. 11 left one dead and 11 injured. The capital's airport is scheduled to remain shut until the evening of Oct. 17, with over 3,000 Saudi flights grounded over the past week.

The airport closure has cascaded into widespread regional flight cancellations. UAE airlines including Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai have called off numerous routes serving Riyadh and other Saudi destinations, while several European carriers including SWISS, Austrian, Edelweiss, and Eurowings have suspended connections to Abu Dhabi through late October. Passengers traveling across the region have been urged to confirm departure schedules with airlines and prepare for ongoing airport delays.