Riyadh airport reopens despite renewed Houthi threats

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has restarted operations at two terminals, despite threats from the Iran-aligned Houthis. The airport had been halted on October 10 following an attack by the Houthis that killed 13 people, the deadliest in the kingdom in over a decade.

The Yemeni militant group claimed responsibility for another wave of missile and drone strikes today, as fighting with Saudi forces continues. The Houthis also attacked other sites, including Khamis Mushait and Jazan. It is unclear if these attacks were the same ones Saudi officials intercepted.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree vowed that the airport would "never be safe" and urged airlines, airport staff and travelers to avoid using it. The Saudi-led coalition reported 20 attacks on the airport between October 1 and 11.

Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts for Riyadh and several other cities, but the danger later passed. The coalition stated that two drones and a ballistic missile were launched towards Riyadh, while a cruise missile was targeted at Khamis Mushait. They intercepted 10 ballistic missiles fired at southern Saudi Arabia.

The conflict in Yemen has exacerbated tensions in the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, making Saudi Arabia a key target. The country intervened in the Yemeni civil war in 2015, supporting the internationally recognized government against the Houthis who seized the capital Sanaa a year earlier.