Riyadh airport resumes flights after closure as Houthis renew warning
King Khalid International Airport announced terminal arrangements for flights starting October 25 after a two-week suspension, while the Houthis warned travellers against using it.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh announced that flights would resume on Sunday, October 25, after a suspension of about two weeks following a deadly attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthis. The airport specified terminals for domestic services and international flights operated by national carriers, while the group renewed its warning against using the airport.
The airport said Terminal 1 would serve domestic flights and Terminal 2 would serve international flights operated by national carriers from October 25. AFP reported that flight tracking showed a plane departing Riyadh for the Saudi city of Jeddah early Sunday. The terminal notice did not establish which other airlines or routes had resumed service.
The airport advised passengers with confirmed bookings to verify their flight and booking status with their airlines before travelling, according to The Times of India. That advice matters for travellers returning after the suspension: a terminal assignment alone does not confirm that an individual flight is operating.
Why Riyadh airport suspended flights
Operations were halted on October 10 after an attack on the airport claimed by the Houthis, Reuters reported. The attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, according to Reuters, and the suspension was extended two days later. AFP described it as the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
The October 25 operating announcement follows Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities covered in NewsJaws’ earlier report. The impact of those claimed strikes was unconfirmed at the time. AFP reported that Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which Riyadh backs, have faced a wave of Houthi attacks since a years-long truce broke down in the summer.
Houthi warning to airlines and travellers
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree called King Khalid International Airport a military target and warned airlines, airport staff and travellers against using it. He said the group’s operations targeting the airport would continue, according to Reuters. His statement was a threat from the group as flights restarted, leaving passengers to check their own services against the airport’s announced arrangements.
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Sources and context
- Riyadh airport resumes flights following Houthi attacksAgence France-Presse (republished by Al-Monitor)
- ‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flightsThe Times of India
- Yemen’s Houthis renew warning against using Riyadh airportReuters (republished by The Straits Times)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.