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Saudi Arabia Reopens Riyadh Airport Amid Houthi Threats
· Confirmed
In Short: Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport partially reopened on Sunday after a two-week closure following Houthi attacks.
Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport partially reopened on Sunday after a two-week closure following Houthi attacks, with the airport resuming operations at two terminals.
According to the Deccan Chronicle, the airport said flights would resume on Sunday after a two-week closure following Houthi strikes, with Flight Radar monitoring site showing a plane taking off early in the day.
The Houthi fighters claimed responsibility for targeting the airport and Saudi oil facilities on Saturday, and warned that the facility was still 'unsafe' and a 'military target'.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile and two drones targeting Riyadh, along with other projectiles aimed at southern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis denied targeting the cities of Mecca and Medina, calling the Saudi claim a 'huge lie'.
The airport announced late Saturday that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights, while Terminal 2 would accommodate international services operated by Saudi airlines from Sunday.
Despite the announcement, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed little traffic at the airport on Sunday.
The Saudi civil defence agency said it had also responded to falling debris in the Mecca and Medina regions on Saturday after intercepting two Houthi missiles.
The conflict has become an increasingly destabilising element in the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, turning US ally Saudi Arabia into a pressure point in the wider war.
The airport suspended operations on October 10 after an attack claimed by the Houthis reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300, making it one of Saudi Arabia’s deadliest attacks in more than a decade.
Passengers should check directly with their airlines before heading to the airport, as some services remain suspended or have been rescheduled.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted 10 ballistic missiles fired towards southern Saudi Arabia.
What this adds
The reopening of Riyadh's airport comes amid ongoing Houthi threats and continued missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has escalated, with the Houthis claiming responsibility for multiple attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including airports and oil facilities.
The partial reopening of the airport highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by Saudi Arabia in the face of Houthi aggression.
Background
Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that two people were killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, while Global News (Canada) and The Independent (United Kingdom) noted that the US State Department ordered diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Houthi attacks.
Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority announced on Thursday that operations at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam have resumed and air traffic has returned to normal, according to Arabnews (Saudi Arabia), Gulfnews, Hindustan Times (India), and Minutemirror (Pakistan).
What's confirmed
- Saudi Civil Defence reported two people injured and damage to three residential buildings and seven vehicles in Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah.
- Earlier this month, the Saudi-led coalition accused the Houthis of carrying out 20 attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport between October 1 and 11.
- MOL Pakistan joins embassy to celebrate Hungary’s National Day The airport suspended operations on October 10 after an attack claimed by the Houthis reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300, making it one of Saudi Arabia’s deadliest attacks in more than a decade.
- The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting the airport and Saudi oil facilities on Saturday.
What's still developing
- The attack came after the fighters said that -- in the space of 24 hours -- they targeted three Saudi airports, including in Riyadh, energy installations, a pipeline and an air base.
- "The Saudi regime shall bear the consequences of any operations at the airport."
- Riyadh airport set to reopen as UAE airlines extend Saudi flight suspensions UAE residents are tracking fresh regional developments as Riyadh airport resumes operations amid Houthi threats, airlines revise Saudi Arabia services and US President Donald Trump rules out a strike on Iran today.
- In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attempted targeting violated Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and threatened its security and stability.
- Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree issued fresh warnings early Sunday to airlines, airport staff and passengers, describing the airport as a military target and cautioning that it was unsafe to use.
- Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts on Sunday for Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran before later announcing that the immediate threat had passed.
- After Saudi authorities announced the partial resumption of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree early on Sunday renewed a warning to airlines, airport staff and travellers against using it, saying it remained a "military target" and would "never be safe".
- The Houthis have continued their daily attacks on the kingdom, the world's largest oil exporter, despite Saudi strikes against the group, with the airport's partial reopening coming after a deadly attack earlier this month that forced it to suspend operations.