Riyadh Airport Partially Reopens After Houthi Attack
Istanbul (ANTARA) – King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resumed some flights on Sunday (25 October) after being closed for about two weeks following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group.
National broadcaster Al Arabiya reported that flight operations had restarted, showing footage from inside the two terminals that had reopened.
Government television channel AlEkhbariya said Terminal 1 had reopened for domestic flights, while Terminal 2 was handling international flights operated by Saudi airlines.
The airport’s reopening followed intensive coordination between the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and various security and technical agencies to ensure the airport was ready and complied with safety and security standards.
However, operations have resumed at only two terminals, and no official announcement has been made about a return to full capacity.
The airport management has issued no new statement on the resumption of flights, after announcing on Saturday (24 October) that the two terminals would be allocated for domestic and international services.
In that announcement, management urged passengers with confirmed tickets to contact their airlines to check their booking and flight status before travelling to the airport.
Flights at the airport had previously been suspended following a Houthi attack on 10 October that killed 13 people and injured more than 300 others.
Renewed Houthi threats
As flights resumed, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree again warned airlines, employees and passengers not to use King Khalid International Airport.
The airport was “unsafe because it is a military target for our forces”, Saree said in a statement.
He warned that the group would continue its operations against the public facility.
Saree said Saudi authorities bore full responsibility for reopening the airport and for any consequences that might follow.
The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and several other areas since 2014, resumed fighting against Saudi-backed government forces last July as the 2022 truce collapsed.
In addition to aviation facilities, the group has frequently targeted Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure.