Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh airport after Houthi attack kills three

What the report says

Saudi Arabia reopened Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after Houthi attacks that the Saudi authorities said killed three people and injured several others. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said the previous day’s strikes hit airport facilities and an aircraft operated by Saudia, disrupting traffic before operations were restored and flights returned to normal.

The report said Saudia confirmed that one of its pilots died in the incident and that one of its aircraft was damaged. GACA also said injuries ranged from minor to severe and that there was material damage. The Houthi armed group said it had fired a ballistic missile at the airport and claimed it had hit its target and disrupted air traffic.

Al Jazeera noted that this was part of a broader pattern of attacks on Saudi airports in recent days, with earlier strikes this week reported at Abha, King Khalid, Jazan and Najran airports. The Saudi-led coalition and Yemeni government forces have also been engaged in fighting along the Bab al-Mandeb area, adding to instability in the region.

The airport reopening matters because Riyadh’s main international hub is a key civilian and transport asset, and repeated attacks on aviation infrastructure raise concerns about security, regional escalation and the wider Yemen conflict. Background context: Saudi Arabia has long accused the Houthis of launching cross-border missile and drone attacks, while the Houthis say such strikes are retaliation for the Saudi-backed war in Yemen.