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KLM’s winter schedule calls for the reinstatement of flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam, alongside service to 164 destinations from Amsterdam and a return to Entebbe. Separately, Riyadh Air will launch direct Riyadh–Milan flights on Dec. 16 as Saudi Arabia’s newest carrier expands into Europe.
Saudi Arabia
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Air Arabia Dammam has officially launched flight operations in Saudi Arabia, marking the start of a new airline presence from Dammam. The available report does not provide details on destinations, fleet, frequencies or ownership structure.
The Trump administration says its approval of a $24.3 billion F-35 deal will strengthen Saudi Arabia’s self-defense capability as the kingdom faces the continuing Houthi threat. The agreement advances a major U.S. arms transfer with implications for regional security and defense technology controls.
KLM’s winter schedule calls for the reinstatement of flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam, alongside service to 164 destinations from Amsterdam and a return to Entebbe. Separately, Riyadh Air will launch direct Riyadh–Milan flights on Dec. 16 as Saudi Arabia’s newest carrier expands into Europe.
The United Kingdom will send a single RAF Voyager KC2/KC3 multi-role tanker-transport to Saudi Arabia after a request from the Saudi government. The aircraft will provide defensive air-to-air refuelling to support Saudi efforts against renewed drone and ballistic-missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK will provide Saudi Arabia with defensive air-to-air refueling support for a limited period. Burnham characterized the move as contributing to regional stability, without disclosing the aircraft, duration or operational terms involved.
The State Department has detailed a $24.3 billion package covering up to 48 F-35A stealth fighters, alongside logistics and training services. If completed, the deal would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab country to operate the F-35, extending the aircraft’s sensitive export footprint into the Gulf.
Flights at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport were disrupted after an attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia. A fire at a fuel storage depot sent black smoke over the airport, underscoring the operational exposure of aviation infrastructure to regional conflict.
Ballistic missiles and drones struck near Riyadh’s international airport, setting storage tanks alight and sending a large plume of black smoke into the sky. The incident followed Saudi Arabia’s first overnight air-raid alert since fighting in neighboring Yemen intensified this month, prompting emergency firefighting response.
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