Eastern Province targeted again as PIA stays suspended

A Houthi missile aimed at the Eastern Province was intercepted early on 29 October, and PIA's Riyadh flights stay suspended with no date. The Saudi-led coalition's spokesman, Turki Al-Maliki, said early on Thursday 29 October that air defences had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards the Eastern Province; Civil Defence had issued an early warning for the province and then announced that the danger had passed in the Eastern Province and Najran, and no casualties or damage were reported, according to Anadolu Agency and the AFP report carried by Kuwait Times. It was the fourth day in a row of interceptions, after three missiles aimed at the Eastern Province on 27 October, two aimed at Riyadh that evening whose debris damaged a building and a vehicle, and one aimed at Taif on 28 October.

The Houthis said earlier in the week that they had targeted the Ras Tanura refinery in the Eastern Province; the Saudi statements reported only the interceptions. The talks in Tehran between Saudi, Pakistani, Turkish and Iranian officials ended without an announced agreement on the war, the Strait of Hormuz or Iran's nuclear programme, with the four agreeing to keep talking, Gulf News reported. For pilgrims, the position is unchanged: Gulf News's list of 29 October again shows PIA's Riyadh services suspended with no resumption date, the Pakistan Airports Authority's last statement said PIA's other Saudi services continue, Saudia and flyadeal route their Riyadh passengers through Al Qassim with a coach transfer, and Riyadh Air flies its Lahore and Islamabad services through Al Qassim.

Connections through the UAE: on 29 October Emirates again listed every Dubai flight to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as cancelled while its Madinah services operate, with Jeddah listed to resume on 30 October and Riyadh and Dammam on 8 November; flydubai lists its Riyadh, Dammam and Abha flights from 30 October, with its Jeddah, Madinah, Gassim, Ha'il, Tabuk and Taif flights operating; Etihad's Riyadh, Dammam and EY601 to EY604 Jeddah services are cancelled through 5 November; and Air Arabia's Sharjah flights to Dammam and Abha were cancelled with no date, with its Riyadh flights listed without a status. Confirm your flight, your terminal at Jeddah and your onward transport to Makkah with the airline or your Umrah operator before leaving for the airport, treat the 30 October dates as the airlines' current schedule rather than a guarantee, and follow Civil Defence alerts while in the Kingdom.