Saudi Arabia Reopens Riyadh Airport After Weeks of Houthi Attacks

RIYADH, Oct 25 — On Sunday, a series of explosions shook the Saudi capital as the country prepared to reopen Riyadh International Airport, despite repeated threats from Yemen’s Houthis. Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis, has faced a wave of strikes from the group in recent weeks. The fighting escalated after a year-long truce between the Houthis and the Riyadh-backed government collapsed, shifting focus to the broader US-Iran conflict.

The airport announced it would resume operations on Sunday, following a two-week shutdown due to Houthi assaults. Flight Radar reports indicated a plane taking off early in the day. The Houthis have launched multiple waves of attacks on the airport, notably an incident this month that resulted in 13 deaths and over 300 injuries, marking the deadliest assault in the kingdom in over a decade.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree affirmed that the airport remained "unsafe" and a "military target," warning international, regional, and local airlines, as well as passengers, to avoid using King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, deeming it a target for their forces. An AFP journalist in the city heard three explosions in the early hours of Sunday, with residents receiving alerts for a "hostile aerial threat" to remain in safe locations.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis reported downing a ballistic missile launched by the group towards Riyadh and intercepting two drones in the city. Later that morning, the coalition stated its forces had intercepted a cruise missile fired by the Houthis at Khamis Mushait, a southern city. These attacks followed the Houthis' declaration that they had targeted three Saudi airports, energy installations, a pipeline, and an air base within 24 hours.

The Saudi civil defense agency reported responding to falling debris in Mecca and Medina after intercepting two Houthi missiles. The Houthis denied the claims, labeling them as a "huge lie." The renewed violence in Yemen, with the Houthis seizing control of the entire Red Sea coast in a rapid offensive last month, has exacerbated regional instability and disrupted oil markets.

The attacks have burdened Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, disrupting businesses, airlines, and residents, and casting doubts on its efforts to modernize its international image.