‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flights

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resumed flight operations on Sunday and designated terminals for domestic and international services, hours before Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis renewed their warning against using the “military target”.The airport administration announced that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights and Terminal 2 international flights operated by national carriers, effective Sunday.“Please be advised that Terminal (1) will be designated for domestic flights and Terminal (2) for international flights operated by national carriers at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, effective Sunday, October 25, 2026,” the airport administration said in a passenger update posted on X late on Saturday.The airport also urged passengers with confirmed bookings to check their flight status with their airlines before travelling to the airport.“We kindly advise passengers with confirmed bookings to contact their airlines to verify the status of their bookings and flights before heading to the airport.

We appreciate your cooperation and compliance with the instructions,” the advisory said.Aslo Read: Missile debris fall in Mecca, Medina after Saudi intercept strikes; Houthis deny targeting holy citiesHours later, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said operations targeting the airport would continue and warned airlines, airport staff and travellers against using the facility.“The Yemeni Armed Forces renew their warning to all global, regional, and local airlines, as well as employees and travellers, against traveling through Khalid Airport in Riyadh, as it is unsafe, being a military target for our forces,” Saree said in an X post.“The Saudi regime bears the consequences of any operation of the airport and what will result from that, because the Armed Forces will continue their operations toward it and it will never be safe,” he added.Houthis earlier claimed attacks on Saudi airports, energy infrastructureThe latest warning follows earlier claims by the Houthis that they had targeted King Khalid International Airport and several other aviation, military and energy facilities across Saudi Arabia.Saree said the group had targeted locations in Riyadh, Yanbu, Dammam, Rabigh and other areas.“We targeted King Khalid Airport in Riyadh and Aramco Company in Yanbu,” the Houthi spokesperson said.He also claimed attacks on energy infrastructure, saying, “We targeted Rabigh Refinery and the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia.”Saree further claimed that the group had targeted other aviation and military facilities.“We targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran Airport, and Khamis Mushait Airbase,” he said.Air India, Air India Express suspend Saudi flightsAmid the evolving security situation, Air India and Air India Express have suspended flights to and from key destinations in Saudi Arabia.According to the airlines' advisory, services connecting Riyadh and Dammam will remain suspended through November 7, while flights to and from Jeddah will be suspended through October 31.The airlines have offered affected passengers complimentary rebooking options or full refunds.You use AI every day.

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