Riyadh airport restarts air traffic after two-week closure from Houthi strikes

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has restarted operations following a two-week shutdown triggered by missile and drone assaults launched by Yemen's Houthi movement, officials confirmed.

Flight tracking services recorded the departure of a domestic flight bound for Jeddah early Sunday, marking the first commercial movement since the hub suspended services. Airport management announced via social media that domestic routes would operate out of Terminal 1, while Terminal 2 would handle international departures run by domestic carriers.

The reopening comes in the wake of significant violence targeting the Saudi capital. Earlier this month, a Houthi assault on the aviation hub claimed the lives of 13 people and injured over 300 others, representing the deadliest single incident within Saudi borders in over ten years.

Despite the resumption of air traffic, the Iran-aligned Houthi group cautioned that the facility remains in its crosshairs. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree issued a public warning directing global, regional, and domestic airlines, along with passengers and airport staff, to steer clear of the site. He described the facility as an active military target and stated that Saudi authorities would bear responsibility for any fallout from future operations.

Hostilities between the two sides have escalated dramatically after a multi-year ceasefire disintegrated over the summer. In response to the renewed threat, the Saudi-led coalition engaged in Yemen reported that it intercepted and destroyed two uncrewed aerial vehicles near Riyadh on Sunday morning.

The renewed combat between the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government and the Houthis has exacerbated the long-running humanitarian crisis across Yemen, which continues to rank among the most impoverished nations globally, while simultaneously amplifying regional tensions.