Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh

Riyadh, Oct 25: Flight operations have officially resumed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, October 25, following a two-week suspension triggered by strikes from Yemen's Houthi rebels on the Saudi capital.

Announcing the resumption on social media platform X, airport authorities stated that effective Sunday, Terminal 1 will be exclusively designated for domestic flights, while Terminal 2 will handle international flights operated by national carriers. Passengers with confirmed bookings have been strongly advised to verify their flight status directly with their airlines prior to arriving at the airport. Early Sunday morning, flight tracking data showed the successful departure of a Jeddah-bound aircraft.

Despite the reopening, the Iran-backed Houthi group has issued severe warnings. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree cautioned all international, regional, and local airlines, as well as airport staff and passengers, against using the facility. Calling the airport "unsafe," Saree declared it an active "military target" and stated that the Saudi regime would bear the consequences of any ongoing operations.

Highlighting the volatile security situation, the Saudi-led military coalition reported intercepting and shooting down two drones in the Riyadh area early Sunday.

The two-week airport closure was prompted by a devastating strike earlier this month that claimed 13 lives and left over 300 wounded—the deadliest attack on the kingdom in more than a decade. The resurgence of hostilities follows the collapse of a years-long truce this summer, triggering a fresh wave of Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and further deepening the severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen.