Saudi Arabia partially reopened Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, October 25, 2026, restoring operations at two passenger terminals after roughly two weeks of disruption caused by attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthi movement.
The reopening marked an important step toward restoring air connections to the Saudi capital, but renewed Houthi threats, missile interceptions and widespread flight cancellations raised questions about how quickly normal services could return.
According to Reuters' reporting on the partial reopening, Saudi authorities confirmed that two terminals had resumed operations even as the Houthis warned that the airport remained a target.
By Monday, October 26, the group had also claimed another attack on the airport. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed that claim, leaving its outcome uncertain.
Which Flights Are Operating at Riyadh Airport?
King Khalid International Airport announced revised passenger arrangements effective October 25, assigning Terminal 1 to domestic flights and Terminal 2 to international flights operated by Saudi national carriers.
The arrangements, detailed in an airport announcement reported by Argaam, established which terminals would handle the returning services. They did not amount to confirmation that all airlines, routes or scheduled departures had resumed.
Flight activity remained limited during the first day of reopening.
AFP reported that the airport's website displayed domestic and international services, including scheduled arrivals from Dubai, Paris and Cairo. Flight-tracking information showed that some aircraft departed, although many scheduled flights were canceled.
Reuters similarly reported sparse traffic in Flightradar24 data. The available observations therefore support a partial restoration of operations, not a return to normal capacity.
Saudi authorities had not provided a comprehensive public timetable for restoring unrestricted operations across the airport.
Why Are the Houthis Still Threatening the Airport?
The reopening took place during an intensifying confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi movement.
On October 25, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree repeated warnings to airlines, airport employees and travelers against using King Khalid International Airport, describing the facility as a military target.
That designation represents the Houthis' stated position. It does not independently establish the airport's legal status under international humanitarian law.
The group subsequently claimed it had launched additional strikes against the airport and other Saudi facilities. In reporting published early October 26, AFP said the Houthis asserted that a renewed airport attack had achieved its objective, while Saudi authorities had not confirmed a new strike on the facility.
Later on October 26, Reuters reported another Houthi claim involving Riyadh airport and Saudi oil pumping stations, again without immediate Saudi confirmation.
The claims do not establish that the reported strikes hit their intended targets or caused damage at the airport.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities reported intercepting multiple missiles and drones on October 25. The Saudi-led coalition said its forces intercepted 10 ballistic missiles directed toward southern Saudi Arabia, alongside other aerial threats targeting Riyadh and surrounding regions.
Saudi civil defense authorities also reported that debris associated with missile interceptions injured two people in the southern cities of Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah and damaged buildings and vehicles.
These reported injuries were separate from the casualties associated with the earlier October 10 airport attack.
How the October 10 Attack Led to the Shutdown
Riyadh's airport suspended operations following an October 10 attack for which the Houthis claimed responsibility.
Reuters and AFP reported that the attack killed 13 people and injured more than 300. Other reporting has cited higher casualty figures, illustrating the importance of distinguishing separately reported totals and their reporting dates.
The suspension disrupted one of Saudi Arabia's principal international aviation gateways and complicated travel to and from the capital.
As detailed in NewsFusion365's earlier coverage of Houthi missile threats and the closure of Riyadh airport, the security warnings followed a series of attacks directed toward the Saudi capital and other locations.
Saudi Arabia's military coalition has reported repeated Houthi attacks on the airport and surrounding infrastructure during October.
The current escalation also reflects the breakdown of a United Nations-brokered truce that had largely reduced major fighting in Yemen since 2022. Saudi Arabia supports Yemen's internationally recognized government, while the Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and other territory.
Renewed fighting along Yemen's Red Sea coast has added another dimension to the confrontation, particularly around strategically important territory near the Bab el-Mandeb shipping route.
What the Reopening Means for Travelers
For passengers, the most important distinction is between an airport being operational and a specific booked flight being available.
King Khalid International Airport has advised travelers with confirmed reservations to contact their airlines to verify booking and flight status before traveling to the airport.
The instruction is particularly relevant while flight schedules remain subject to disruption and terminal arrangements differ from normal operations.
The reopening announcement does not establish that every route has resumed, that foreign airlines have unrestricted access or that further cancellations will not occur.
International travelers should also distinguish airport operating announcements from government travel advisories.
The U.S. State Department's October 23 Saudi Arabia travel advisory maintained the country at Level 3, meaning "Reconsider Travel," citing armed conflict, terrorism and missile and drone threats among its concerns.
The October 23 update did not newly introduce the Level 3 classification. It revised the advisory's security information and reflected heightened concerns about potential attacks.
The department separately designates the Yemen border region as Level 4, "Do Not Travel."
These classifications describe U.S. government travel-risk assessments. They do not determine whether a particular flight is operating or replace current information issued by an airline or airport operator.
What Could Change Next?
Riyadh airport's return to normal operations will depend on both the restoration of airline schedules and developments in the security situation.
Several indicators will help clarify whether the reopening is progressing: an increase in completed passenger flights, fewer cancellations, expanded terminal operations and updated announcements from airport authorities and airlines.
Further missile or drone incidents, verified damage or additional restrictions could interrupt that process.
The Houthi claims reported on October 26 underline the uncertainty surrounding the reopening, but their immediate operational consequences have not been independently established.
For now, the confirmed development is limited but significant: Riyadh's main airport has restarted some passenger services after the October shutdown, while continuing security threats and restricted flight activity leave the timetable for full recovery unresolved.
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