Riyadh Airport Reopens Today After Houthi Attacks, Flights Resume

Riyadh Airport Reopens Today After Houthi Attacks, Flights Resume

AI-generated illustrative image

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has resumed flight operations after being closed for two weeks due to Houthi airstrikes on the Saudi capital. The airport declared that flights will resume on Sunday, October 25, 2026, but the Houthi group cautioned airlines and travelers from utilizing the facility.

An airplane was observed taking off from Riyadh early Sunday and heading toward Jeddah, indicating that flight operations had resumed. However, the Houthi threat and a second allegation of two drones confiscated in the Riyadh vicinity indicated that security worries persisted.

The airport has also issued new instructions for passengers about terminal arrangements, separating domestic and international services operated by Saudi national carriers.

Riyadh Airport Reopens Today With New Terminal Rules

King Khalid International Airport announced the new terminal layouts in a post on X on Saturday. According to the revisions, Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights while Terminal 2 will service foreign flights handled by national carriers. The agreements were effective on Sunday, October 25.

The news came after the airport had been shuttered for two weeks due to attacks fired from Yemen by Houthi forces. Flight-tracking data showed a jet left Riyadh for Jeddah early Sunday, when services resumed.

The attacks are part of a larger wave of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which Riyadh supports, have resumed hostilities after a years-long truce fell down last summer.

According to the source, one of the assaults this month killed 13 people and injured over 300 others, making it the bloodiest strike in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.

The renewed fight has also brought attention to the larger US-Iran confrontation and exacerbated the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, one of the world’s poorest countries.

Riyadh Airport Reopens Today Despite Houthi Warning

Despite the resumed flights, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree emphasized that King Khalid International Airport remained insecure. He identified the airport as a military target and encouraged foreign, regional, and domestic airlines, as well as airport employees and passengers, to avoid using it.

Saree further stated that Saudi Arabia will shoulder the repercussions of any activities carried out at the airport. His warning sparked further fears among airlines and passengers as the airport prepared to restart operations.

Separately, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis said early Sunday that it intercepted and destroyed two drones in the Riyadh area. The statement did not disclose any additional information on the drones or their intended targets.

The drone interceptions occurred as planes were returning to the capital’s airport after a lengthy closure. The reports underscore the security issues associated with the reopening, while the available information does not specify whether the drone occurrences had a direct impact on airport operations.

For passengers, the immediate alterations are the return of flights and amended terminal assignments. Travellers utilising King Khalid International Airport must confirm if their route departs from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.

The airport has announced the restoration of services, although the Houthi threat and reported drone interceptions remain significant developments in the reopening. Further information concerning flight operations and security procedures was not provided in the available materials.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *