Houthi attacks continue after Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh international airport

Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport has become a repeated target of Houthi attacks. An attack there this month killed 13 people and injured more than 300, according to The Hindu. The strikes forced the airport to close for about two weeks.

The confrontation extends beyond the airport. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen, according to News. Recent attacks and counterattacks have involved Saudi energy facilities, missile launch sites in Yemen and infrastructure in southern Yemen.

On October 24, the Houthis reported at least 12 deaths after an airstrike in western Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia, according to DER SPIEGEL. The outlet also reported that Saudi forces subsequently intercepted missiles aimed at oil facilities.

That day brought conflicting accounts of other targets. Saudi authorities accused the Houthis of launching missiles toward the Mecca and Medina regions, Infobae reported. The Houthis denied attacking Mecca or Medina and said they had targeted airports and oil sites, according to India Today.

On October 25, Riyadh airport resumed flights despite renewed Houthi warnings. Dozens of departures headed to destinations including London, Dubai and Beijing, Business Line reported, citing the airport's website. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree had warned airlines, staff and passengers against using the airport, describing it as unsafe, according to News18.

On October 26, the Houthis said they had attacked Saudi oil pumping stations and Riyadh airport, Reuters reported. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile after the airport attack claim, according to South China Morning Post. It also said it destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Sanaa, including one used to fire toward Riyadh, Arab News reported.

The effects were not confined to intended targets. Debris from intercepted Houthi missiles caused damage in Khamis Mushait on October 26, according to Al Jazeera.

Attacks continued on October 27. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed four Houthi drones targeting southern Saudi Arabia, according to Middle East Eye. The Houthis also claimed a ballistic missile strike on the Saudi Defence Ministry in Riyadh, News18 reported. That claim is not independently confirmed in the supplied coverage.

Energy infrastructure remains under threat. India Today reported that Houthi missiles hit Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery and that Riyadh confirmed material damage. Meanwhile, officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Pakistan and Iran met in Tehran to seek de-escalation, according to Al Jazeera.

The airport reopening has not ended travel disruption. Air India and IndiGo extended Saudi flight suspensions, with some services halted until November 7, according to The New Indian Express.

Whether Riyadh airport can sustain operations remains unresolved: flights have resumed, but the Houthis have renewed their warnings and claimed another attack. Passengers also face separate airline suspensions that do not automatically end when an airport reopens.

The Tehran talks are the other immediate development to follow. The supplied coverage reports their aim of easing tensions, but gives no agreement or outcome.