Middle East — 2026-10-26

Riyadh Airport Reopens After Two-Week Closure as Houthis Continue Strikes on Saudi Oil Infrastructure

BLUFRiyadh's airport will likely face another closure or strike by November 25, as Houthi attacks on the day it reopened show the group can sustain pressure faster than Saudi defenses can restore normalcy.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resumed limited flights on Sunday, October 25, after a two-week closure that began October 10 with a Houthi strike that killed at least 13 people and wounded about 300 123. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree called the airport a "military target" and warned airlines against using it 24. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki said, via the Saudi Press Agency, that air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile and two drones aimed at Riyadh, plus 10 ballistic missiles over the south and a cruise missile aimed at Khamis Mushait 3. The Houthis claimed strikes on the airport and Aramco facilities in Yanbu 3, while Xinhua reported two people injured by debris in Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah 4. Saree said Saudi forces carried out 56 strikes across seven Yemeni governorates in 24 hours 14.

Analysis
High confidence rests on consistent reporting across four outlets and a public Houthi warning that the airport remains a military target, though Dawn and France 24 share AFP sourcing, so corroboration is thinner than the count implies. The reopening came eight days later than the prior cycle expected, and the Houthis struck or claimed strikes on the site that day. Interceptions held, but fire across the south, Yanbu and Riyadh shows the Houthis can sustain pressure on aviation and Aramco. King Khalid International Airport will likely suspend flights again, or take another Houthi missile or drone strike that causes casualties or damage, by November 25. The claims may instead be deterrence messaging aimed at airlines, since intercepted fire left the airport functioning. Brent at a six-month high and a possible U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran after the November 3 midterms leave little room for de-escalation. Another closure would keep carriers and insurers off Riyadh routes and extend Washington's staff drawdown; continued operation lets airlines rebuild schedules.

4 sources