Saudi Arabia has reopened King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh following a series of Houthi attacks that disrupted aviation operations, damaged airport facilities and left several people injured.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed on Friday that normal operations had resumed after the attacks on Thursday.
According to the authority, the strikes affected airport infrastructure and an aircraft operated by Saudia Airlines, the country's national carrier. Several people sustained injuries of varying severity, while the attacks also caused material damage.
Saudia Airlines confirmed the death of one of its pilots, Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, following an incident at the airport. The airline expressed sadness over his death and disclosed that one of its aircraft had been damaged.
The latest incident comes amid a series of attacks targeting Saudi airports in recent days, raising fresh concerns about aviation security across the kingdom.
Earlier this week, attacks on Abha and King Khalid airports reportedly killed three civilians and injured 36 others. Separate incidents involving Jazan and Najran airports, both located near the Yemeni border, also left at least three people wounded.
A Houthi military spokesperson claimed that the group launched a ballistic missile towards King Khalid International Airport on Thursday, asserting that the missile struck its intended target and disrupted air traffic.
The attacks represent a renewed campaign against Saudi aviation infrastructure. Last month, Saudi-led coalition forces reported intercepting a suspected Houthi ballistic missile directed at Riyadh's airport. An explosion was also reported near the airport a day later, with black smoke rising from a fuel storage facility.
The Houthis have subsequently warned international aviation companies against using Saudi airspace, threatening aircraft operating in the country's airspace, except over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Fighting Intensifies in Yemen
The renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia coincide with an escalating military campaign by Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Houthis.
The offensive followed the group's seizure of significant territory along the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait in September. The narrow waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a crucial route for global maritime trade.
Yemeni government forces have claimed recent advances along the coastline, although fierce fighting continues in several areas.
The conflict has intensified amid wider regional tensions linked to the United States' war against Iran, raising fears that additional countries could become involved.
Pakistan and Türkiye have reportedly agreed to deploy troops under a mutual defence agreement reached with Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that a substantial number of Pakistani military personnel and resources were already in Riyadh.
However, a ministry spokesperson clarified that Pakistani forces would focus on defending Saudi territory rather than crossing into enemy territory to launch attacks against the Houthis.
Coalition Targets Houthi Missile Infrastructure
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government announced that it had destroyed three rocket launch platforms allegedly used by the Houthis to threaten regional security.
Coalition spokesperson Colonel Turki al-Maliki warned that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure would attract a firm response.
The coalition also reported intercepting and destroying two ballistic missiles heading towards Riyadh and another missile directed at Khamis Mushait, a city near the Yemeni border.
Additionally, coalition forces said they had conducted 97 precision military operations against Houthi reinforcements along the Tor al-Baha front and the Taiz axis earlier in the week.
The operations reportedly involved fighter aircraft, drones, artillery, missiles and snipers.
With attacks on Saudi airports continuing and fighting intensifying in Yemen, the latest developments have heightened concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict and its implications for regional security and international aviation.
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