Several flights circle near Riyadh airport as holding patterns appear on tracking data

Several aircraft approaching King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were seen entering holding patterns near the Saudi capital late Tuesday, according to flight-tracking data.

The aircraft appeared to be circling while awaiting clearance to continue their approaches to Riyadh.

There was no immediate official announcement explaining the reason for the holding patterns, and authorities had not announced a closure of King Khalid International Airport.

The development comes amid heightened regional security concerns and recent disruptions affecting aviation in parts of the Middle East, but it was not immediately clear whether the flight patterns were related to security, weather, air traffic management or another operational issue.

Passengers traveling through Riyadh were advised to monitor their airline for the latest flight information.