King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was set to partially reopen on Sunday, 25 October, after a series of Houthi missile and drone strikes forced Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation to temporarily suspend all operations. The resumption marks the first sign of normalcy at the Saudi capital's main gateway since the attacks triggered multiple deaths and injuries.

How Flights Will Resume

Authorities designated Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights operated by national carriers. The partial reopening suggests that while the physical infrastructure is deemed safe enough to function, a full return to pre-attack capacity remains some way off.

Scale of the Houthi Attacks

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement that the group carried out seven missile and drone attacks on Saturday, targeting airports, oil facilities, and a military base in Riyadh, as well as the Saudi cities of Yanbu, Rabigh, Dammam, Najran, and Khamis Mushait. Saree said King Khalid International Airport was struck in two separate stages, while additional attacks hit Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

The Houthi group asserted the offensive was launched in retaliation for what it described as 100 Saudi airstrikes on Houthi-held areas of Yemen over the preceding 24 hours, including the Houthi-held capital Sanaa and the Red Sea port city of Mocha in the southwestern province of Taiz.

Saudi Coalition Response and Interceptions

The Saudi-led coalition announced it had intercepted and destroyed several missiles aimed at Riyadh, Taif, and Yanbu, and shot down a drone in the Eastern Province. However, Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Civil Defence confirmed that debris from two intercepted missiles fell in the Mecca and Medina regions — a detail that heightened public concern given the cities' religious significance.

The Houthi group subsequently denied targeting the two holy cities, calling such claims 'false and unfounded.'

Broader Escalation in the Conflict

The airport attacks are part of a sharply escalating cycle of violence. The Houthis have intensified strikes on Saudi soil as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces push to retake territory held by the group. Both sides have reported multiple casualties from the exchange of airstrikes and missile salvos. This comes amid a broader pattern in which the Houthis have increasingly targeted critical infrastructure — airports, seaports, and energy facilities — as a pressure tactic, while the Saudi-led coalition has responded with intensified air campaigns over Houthi-held Yemen.

What Comes Next

The partial reopening of King Khalid International Airport signals Saudi authorities' intent to restore normalcy quickly, yet the security situation remains fluid. Whether Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 operations can be expanded will depend on the trajectory of the conflict over the coming days. Airlines operating into Riyadh are likely to keep contingency protocols in place until a sustained ceasefire or de-escalation is confirmed.