Summary Saudi Arabia partially reopened Riyadh’s main airport despite renewed Houthi threats, as missile and drone attacks intensified amid widening regional conflict.
RIYADH (Web Desk) — Saudi Arabia partially resumed operations at King Khalid International Airport on Sunday despite renewed threats from Yemen’s Houthi movement, as the kingdom reported intercepting additional missiles and drones amid escalating hostilities.
The airport announced late Saturday that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights, while Terminal 2 would serve international flights operated by Saudi carriers from Sunday. However, flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed limited air traffic despite the partial reopening.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree renewed warnings to airlines, airport employees and passengers early Sunday, describing the airport as a military target and warning that it would not be safe to use.
The airport had suspended operations on October 10 following an attack claimed by the Houthis that reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300, making it one of the deadliest attacks in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
Earlier this month, the Saudi-led coalition accused the Houthis of carrying out 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport between October 1 and 11.
Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles and drones
Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts for Riyadh and the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran on Sunday, before subsequently announcing that the immediate danger had passed.
The Saudi-led coalition said two drones and a ballistic missile had been launched towards Riyadh, while a cruise missile was directed towards Khamis Mushait in the south. The coalition later reported intercepting 10 ballistic missiles fired towards southern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis said they had targeted the airport and Saudi oil facilities on Saturday. Saudi authorities did not directly comment on those claims.
The continuing attacks have raised concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s aviation infrastructure and energy facilities, particularly as the kingdom remains the world’s largest oil exporter.
Yemen conflict adds to regional instability
Saudi Arabia has intensified its military operations against the Houthis following the group’s reported seizure of strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month.
The developments have heightened concerns about the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The route is strategically important for international trade and energy shipments, including oil transported from Gulf producers.
The renewed fighting has also undermined a United Nations-brokered truce that had largely held since 2022.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 at the head of a coalition supporting the internationally recognised government, after Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
The latest escalation has added another layer of instability to the wider regional conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, placing additional pressure on Saudi Arabia and raising questions about the safety of commercial aviation and maritime transport.
