Explosions heard in Saudi capital as airport due to reopen

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia experienced multiple explosions on Sunday as the country prepared to reopen Riyadh International Airport. Despite the frequent attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels, Saudi Arabia, which leads the military coalition fighting the group, faced a series of strikes in recent weeks. The fighting erupted following the breakdown of a long-standing truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government.

The airport announced the resumption of flights on Sunday after a two-week closure triggered by the Houthi strikes. However, the extent of the airport's operational status remained uncertain. The Houthi fighters have previously conducted waves of attacks on the airport, with the deadliest occurring this month, resulting in the death of 13 people and injuring over 300.

The Yemeni Armed Forces issued a warning to all international, regional, and local airlines, as well as staff and travelers, against using King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, stating that it is unsafe and serves as a military target for their forces. An AFP journalist in the city heard three explosions in the early hours of Sunday, and residents received alert messages for a hostile aerial threat urging them to take cover.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis reported downing a ballistic missile launched by the group towards Riyadh and two drones in the capital area. Later that morning, the coalition claimed their forces had intercepted a cruise missile fired by the Houthis at the southern city of Khamis Mushait. The attacks appeared to target various areas across the south, with warnings issued for Abha city and Namas Governorate.

The bombardment has been intense since the morning, with residents in Khamis Mushait reporting that everything was shaking due to the explosions. The Houthi fighters claimed that they targeted three Saudi airports, energy installations, a pipeline, and an air base within 24 hours, while the Saudi civil defense agency responded to falling debris in Makkah and Madinah regions following the interception of two Houthi missiles. The Houthis denied targeting the two holiest cities in Islam, Makkah and Madinah.