Follow Al Rai
King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, resumed flight operations on Sunday after a suspension lasting about two weeks due to attacks launched by the Yemeni Houthi group, amid new threats from the group to continue targeting it, according to Saudi media.
The Saudi "Al-Arabiya" channel reported the return of flights to the airport following the Houthi attacks it was subjected to this October, and broadcast scenes from inside two terminals that have resumed operations.
For its part, the official Saudi "Al-Ekhbariya" channel stated that the airport resumed operations at Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights operated by national airlines, effective Sunday.
It added that the resumption of operations came after intensive coordination between the General Authority of Civil Aviation and security and technical authorities to ensure the airport's readiness and compliance with security and safety standards.
The announced resumption is limited to the two mentioned terminals, without an announcement regarding the airport returning to its full operational capacity.
The airport administration did not issue a new statement regarding the resumption of flights on Sunday, following a notice published Saturday evening in which it announced the allocation of the two terminals for domestic and international flights starting the following day.
In its notice, the airport administration called on passengers with confirmed bookings to contact their airlines to verify the status of their bookings and flights before heading to the airport.
The resumption of flights comes after air operations were halted following a Houthi attack that targeted the airport on October 10, which resulted in the death of 12 people and the injury of 309 others, according to data from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The Authority had announced a temporary suspension of operations following the attack to complete damage assessments and verify the safety and operational readiness of the airport's facilities.
Disruptions in air traffic continued over the following days, with flights being canceled and others diverted to alternative airports, before the partial resumption was announced on Sunday.
**New Houthi threats
Coinciding with the return of flights, the military spokesman for the Houthi group, Yahya Saree, renewed his warning to airlines, employees, and passengers against using King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Saree said in a statement that the airport is "unsafe as it is a military target for our forces," warning that the group will continue its operations toward it.
He added that the Saudi authorities bear the consequences of reopening the airport and what may result from that, according to his expression.
These developments come amid an escalation of Houthi attacks on airports and vital facilities in Saudi Arabia during this October.
On October 21, King Fahd International Airport in the city of Dammam, in the east of the Kingdom, was subjected to an attack that resulted in the death of two people and the injury of 8 others, and led to a temporary suspension of air operations.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the following day the resumption of operations at the airport after completing safety procedures and security assessments.
Know more about this story?Send us a tip
Ask about this report — answers stay grounded in its text.
