Key Highlights

  • Strikes on Riyadh's airport on Saturday, October 10, 2026 reportedly killed 12 and wounded over 300, with casualty counts drawn from single reports and not independently confirmed in published data.
  • About half of scheduled flights were reportedly cancelled, and Etihad and Qatar Airways reportedly suspended flights on October 13, 2026, both claims from single accounts that remain unconfirmed.
  • The reports point to Houthi attacks and to the possibility that the United States joins a Saudi-led campaign, a development that is not confirmed and carries risk for Gulf aviation and oil.
  • U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS) holds airline and aerospace shares, but published data gives no JETS price move for October 12 or 13, 2026, so no fund return is cited.

What Is Reported

Strikes on Riyadh's airport on Saturday, October 10, 2026 reportedly killed 12 people and wounded more than 300. The reports attribute the attacks to Houthi forces. Follow-up coverage on October 12 and 13, 2026 says about half of scheduled flights were cancelled and that Etihad and Qatar Airways suspended flights on October 13. The casualty counts, the cancellation share and the airline suspensions each come from single accounts and have not been confirmed. The attack date falls before the period of this article, but the follow-up developments are within it. Reports also raise the possibility that the United States could join the Saudi-led campaign, which is unconfirmed and would widen the conflict.

How Gulf Disruption Reaches Airlines

Airlines are exposed to conflict in three ways. First, closures and cancellations remove revenue on affected routes. Second, longer routings around risk areas raise fuel and crew costs. Third, oil prices affect fuel expense, which is a large share of airline costs. Crude rose on October 12, 2026 after the Riyadh strikes, with WTI at about USD 91.9 to 93.7, and then slid about 1.6% to 1.9% on October 13, 2026. Insurance costs and passenger confidence can also change. The Gulf carriers matter because they connect Europe, Asia and Africa through hubs, so suspensions can shift traffic to other airlines. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) postponed a planned Atlanta to Riyadh service, a sign of the caution.

What It Means for U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS)

U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS) holds a basket of airlines and related aviation companies, mostly in the United States. Published market data does not give a JETS price change for the period, so none is cited. The fund has limited direct exposure to Gulf routes, but it is sensitive to jet fuel costs and to risk sentiment. Risks include wider conflict, higher oil prices, and new route suspensions by US carriers. Investors can watch official confirmation of the casualty and cancellation figures, airline schedule notices, and crude settlements. The reports are unconfirmed, so conclusions about the effect on U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS) would be premature.

Where Things Stand

Gulf aviation matters for U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS) because conflict can lift fuel costs and cut routes, but the reports are unconfirmed. The casualty counts of 12 killed and over 300 wounded, the cancellation of about half of flights and the Etihad and Qatar Airways suspensions each come from single accounts. No JETS move is available. The next checks are official confirmation, airline notices and crude settlements.