Saudi Arabia announced that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has partially resumed operations in two of its terminals on Sunday. This action comes as the Houthis from Yemen, who are aligned with Iran, have issued new threats to target this airport. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to counter Houthi attacks and has intercepted another wave of missiles and drones in recent days.
Frequent Houthi Attacks and Their Consequences
The Houthis continue their daily attacks on Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter. The partial reopening of the airport follows a deadly attack earlier this month that led to the suspension of airport operations. This attack, which resulted in the deaths of 13 people and injuries to over 300, is considered the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
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The Houthi attacks on King Khalid Airport reflect rising tensions in the region and their impacts on global security and stability. In this context, the Saudi-led coalition had previously announced that the Houthis had carried out 20 attacks on this airport between October 1 and 11.
Security Measures and Airport Status
Following the announcement of the partial reopening of the airport, Yahya Sari, the Houthi military spokesperson, issued another warning on Sunday to airlines, airport staff, and passengers about using this airport, calling it a "military target" and stating that it will never be safe. The airport also announced that Terminal 1 will be dedicated to domestic flights and Terminal 2 to international flights operated by national airlines.
However, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that air traffic at the airport was very low on Sunday. This comes as Saudi Arabia has intensified its airstrikes against the Houthis, especially after the group seized strategic territories along the Red Sea coast last month.
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