Explosions heard in Saudi capital as airport due to reopen

Explosions shook the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday as the kingdom prepared to resume operations at King Khalid Airport, despite repeated attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The kingdom has been under a barrage of strikes from the group in recent weeks. Riyadh's international airport had been closed for two weeks following the recent Houthi assaults.

The Houthi fighters have repeatedly targeted the airport, with an attack earlier this month killing 13 people and wounding over 300, the deadliest in the kingdom in over a decade. A Houthi military spokesman warned that the airport was still unsafe and a military target. The Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting the Houthis, claimed to have intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the group towards Riyadh and two drones in the capital area.

Residents reported hearing three explosions early Sunday and received alerts for a hostile aerial threat, urging them to seek safety. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter of crude oil, faces disruption to its businesses, airlines and residents due to the Houthi attacks, which have further destabilized the region.