Saudi Arabia has reopened King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday after a series of fatal Houthi attacks, despite continued threats from the Iran-backed militia in Yemen to target the facility.
The airport announced on Saturday evening that flight operations would resume the following day, advising passengers to confirm their booking and flight status prior to arrival.
The airport had been closed since October 10, when a cruise missile attack attributed to the Houthis struck a passenger terminal, resulting in at least 13 fatalities and over 300 injuries. Earlier in the month, the militia, originating from northern Yemen, had executed at least three other deadly strikes on the airport, including an incident that claimed three lives when a plane on the tarmac was hit.
Shortly after the airport's statement, a Houthi military spokesperson reiterated a warning to airlines and travelers, designating the airport as a "military target" and asserting that the Saudi government would be accountable for any repercussions arising from its reopening.
This escalation follows a period of relative calm, with both the Houthis and Saudi Arabia resuming hostilities earlier this month amidst the wider conflict involving Iran, the Houthis' principal supporter, and the United States and Israel. The Houthis have framed their near-daily assaults on Riyadh as retribution for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, which have frequently resulted in civilian casualties.
