Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport partially resumes flights after Houthi attacks

The United States State Department ordered the departure of non-essential employees and their families from the American embassy in Riyadh on Wednesday, citing escalating hostilities by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The directive follows a period of intense aerial attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including airports and oil facilities, which have resulted in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. In a statement posted on social media, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott emphasized that the safety of diplomatic personnel and their families remained the top priority. He noted that Houthi actions had caused significant damage to civilian populations and disrupted movement within the Kingdom. While the order specifically targets non-essential staff in Saudi Arabia, a Middle East diplomatic source indicated that families of U.S. embassy personnel in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain are also currently undergoing withdrawal procedures. The decision coincides with a partial resumption of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The airport had suspended all flights on October 10 following a Houthi attack that killed thirteen people, marking the deadliest incident in the Kingdom in over a decade. On Sunday, October 25, authorities announced that Terminal 1 would reopen for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international services operated by national carriers. Despite this announcement, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed minimal traffic at the hub. Major international carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have cancelled flights to Riyadh through mid-November. However, Saudi-based airlines such as Saudia and FlyNas began operating limited flights shortly after the resumption notice. Passengers were advised to verify their booking statuses directly with airlines before traveling to the terminal. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree rejected the reopening, declaring the airport unsafe and a legitimate military target. He urged airlines, staff, and travelers to avoid the facility, warning that it would never be secure. The Houthis claim that Saudi Arabia uses the airport to transport military equipment to government forces in Yemen, though they have offered no evidence to support this assertion. Earlier in the week, Saree denied that his forces had conducted deep military operations inside Saudi territory on Wednesday, contradicting Saudi claims of widespread interceptions. The intensity of the conflict has surged in recent weeks, reviving a front in the broader regional war that had been dormant for years. The Houthi offensive resumed in July and intensified after the group captured coastal territory along the Red Sea in September. This seizure strengthened their control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. The Saudi-led military coalition stated that it had intercepted numerous projectiles during the latest wave of attacks. On Wednesday, coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki confirmed the interception of four drones aimed at the eastern region and Medina. He later reported a fifth and sixth interception, specifying that one drone was launched toward the southern border near Yemen. Casualties from these strikes have included foreign workers in the energy sector. The Saudi Energy Ministry reported that two individuals were killed and others injured when debris from an intercepted drone fell on the Shaybah oil field in the east. The victims were identified as Philippine and Nepali nationals, while Pakistani and Indian citizens sustained injuries. Separately, the General Civil Aviation Authority announced that an attack on Dammam International Airport in the east resulted in one death and eight injuries on Wednesday evening. Civil defense authorities issued emergency alerts for Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran on Sunday, later confirming that the immediate threat had passed. Shrapnel from intercepted ballistic missiles over Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah injured two people and damaged residential structures and vehicles. The U.S. State Department issued a new travel alert describing the situation as volatile. The alert stated that Houthi hostilities had the potential to escalate rapidly beyond the immediate area. Previous alerts issued in the preceding days contained similar warnings and required U.S. government personnel to obtain special permission to use any Saudi airport. The embassy in Riyadh had suffered significant damage at the start of the current phase of the conflict and operated with a reduced staff for several months, though some diplomats had recently returned. The department noted that embassies in other Gulf states remain under restricted operations, limiting the number of personnel assigned to those posts. The conflict has placed additional strain on regional stability, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s role as a key U.S. ally. The Houthis have carried out twenty attacks on King Khalid International Airport between October 1 and 11, according to the Saudi-led coalition. On Saturday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for strikes on the airport and Saudi oil facilities, though Saudi authorities did not directly comment on those specific claims. The Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting ten ballistic missiles fired toward southern Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Two drones and a ballistic missile were directed at Riyadh, while a cruise missile targeted Khamis Mushait. The continuous exchange of fire underscores the fragility of the security environment in the region, with both sides maintaining aggressive postures despite diplomatic efforts.