Riyadh airport reopens with limited flights as Saudi Arabia reports fresh interceptions

Saudi Arabia reopened King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, October 25, 2026, following a closure of more than two weeks after deadly Houthi attacks, according to the Associated Press. On the day flights restarted, Saudi air defences stopped two weapons bound for the capital: one ballistic missile and one drone.²

Flights return, with restrictions

The reopening followed an airport announcement on Saturday that flights would restart the next day, Middle East Eye reported. The airport assigned Terminal 1 to domestic services and Terminal 2 to international services run by national carriers, with those arrangements taking effect on October 25.⁵

The Business Times said scores of planes took off from the airport on Sunday, with London, Dubai and Beijing among the cities served. But the newspaper reported that most international carriers were maintaining their suspensions, leaving the number of services arriving in and departing from Riyadh restricted despite the resumption of operations.⁴

Only two of the airport's five terminals were operating, The Business Times reported. Terminal 3, which sustained damage during strikes this month, remained out of use. The return of flights therefore did not amount to a reopening of all airport facilities or a restoration of services by most international airlines.⁴

Attacks continue

The Associated Press said previous attacks left 17 people dead and over 330 others injured. The Business Times dated attacks that preceded the shutdown to October 10 and 11, reporting that more than a dozen people had died and hundreds had been injured.²⁴

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile and a drone launched towards Riyadh on Sunday, The Business Times reported. ABC News also reported that Saudi air defences destroyed 10 ballistic missiles heading towards the kingdom's southern region, in addition to the weapons directed at the capital.³⁴

The Houthis have threatened another strike on Riyadh's airport, according to The New York Times, which describes the group as an Iran-backed Yemeni militia. The Business Times reported that the Houthis continued to say they were targeting the airport and energy infrastructure.¹⁴

The Business Times said air-raid warnings were issued in several Saudi locations, among them the cities of Riyadh, Yanbu, Jeddah and Mecca, while the United States ordered diplomatic personnel to depart the country in response to the growing danger. It said Houthi attacks intensified in October after Saudi-backed Yemeni forces began an offensive to regain Houthi-held territory.⁴