Saudi Arabia Reopens Riyadh Airport After 13 Killed, as Houthis Threaten More Strikes
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 25
Saudi Arabia Reopens Riyadh Airport After 13 Killed, as Houthis Threaten More Strikes
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 25
Summary
King Khalid International Airport resumed flights Sunday after a two-week closure triggered by repeated Houthi attacks, including an Oct. 10 cruise missile strike on a passenger terminal.
At least 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured in that attack, and the Houthis have carried out at least three other deadly strikes on the airport this month amid near-daily attacks on Riyadh.
Sunday’s reopening came under immediate pressure: residents received an emergency alert about an incoming aerial threat, and Saudi authorities said they intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at the capital.
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, warned airlines and travelers to avoid the airport because it remained a "military target," while Saudi authorities did not say what new safety measures or air defenses supported the reopening.