Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missile aimed at Riyadh as the capital’s airport reopens under fresh threats
Saudi air defences intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh on Sunday morning, October 25, the Saudi-led coalition said, on the same day the capital’s King Khalid International Airport resumed flights about two weeks after a deadly attack forced it to close.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said forces also destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region and a cruise missile launched towards Khamis Mushait, in the south-west of the kingdom. Al Jazeera reported that explosions were heard in Riyadh. The coalition later said it had intercepted and destroyed ten ballistic missiles fired towards southern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Civil Defence issued alerts through its National Early Warning Platform for Abha and Khamis Mushait, the second for Khamis Mushait that morning, before announcing that the danger had passed, The National reported. It urged residents to avoid gatherings and filming.
Airport reopens, Houthis call it a target
King Khalid International Airport halted operations on October 10 after a Houthi attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. Late on Saturday, the airport said international flights would resume on Sunday from Terminal 2, with Terminal 1 handling domestic flights.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree responded by calling the airport “unsafe” and a “military target”. He warned airlines, airport staff and travellers against using it, and said Saudi Arabia would bear the consequences of any operations there.
On Saturday, the Houthis said they had targeted three Saudi airports, energy installations, a pipeline and an airbase. Saudi authorities said interceptions of two ballistic missiles sent debris falling in Makkah, Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh. The Houthis denied targeting the holy cities and called that claim a lie.
Fighting inside Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 at the request of the internationally recognised government, after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 held a fragile peace until this year. In September, the coalition resumed its military campaign after the Iran-aligned rebels advanced along the Red Sea coast towards the Bab al-Mandab strait.
On Sunday, Houthi forces advanced on Jabal Sabr, a mountain overlooking the besieged city of Taiz, where the United Nations has warned that “time is running out” to deliver aid to about 800,000 trapped people. Government forces said they carried out more than 700 operations against Houthi targets on Saturday and killed more than 300 fighters; that figure has not been independently verified.
Regional alarm
The escalation comes amid wider tension over the US confrontation with Iran. On Saturday, the US State Department warned its citizens against travel to Saudi Arabia and 12 other countries in the region, citing the risk of drone and missile attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed Houthis. The advisory warned that Houthi attacks “have the potential to escalate rapidly” beyond their immediate area.
Confirmed and pending
Confirmed by the coalition: the interceptions over Riyadh, Khamis Mushait and southern Saudi Arabia. No casualties from Sunday’s attacks had been reported at the time of writing. Pending: whether airlines keep operating at Riyadh after the Houthi warning, and any independent confirmation of battlefield claims in Yemen.
Image: city skyline with modern towers and palm trees. Photo by MO B.H on Unsplash (Unsplash License). Illustrative; it does not show Sunday’s events.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles and drones as fighting with Houthis rages (Oct 25, 2026)
- The National — Saudi Arabia intercepts barrage of Houthi missiles and drones (Oct 25, 2026)
Kcenia Sarapova · Europe, Asia & Middle East · Virtual editorial byline
Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 25, 2026 · AI-assisted writing
