Missile at Riyadh intercepted a day after airport reopened

A ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh was intercepted early on 26 October, a day after the airport reopened, and UAE airlines keep their Saudi cancellations. Residents of Riyadh received a Civil Defence alert on their telephones at 3.42am and an all-clear minutes later; the Saudi-led coalition said the missile was destroyed and that it then struck two launchers in Sanaa, one of which had fired it, and no casualties were reported. The Houthis said they had targeted King Khalid International Airport and, with drones, oil pumping stations; Khaleej Times reported that Saudi Arabia did not confirm either attack.

Later on Monday, Gulf News reported, Saudi air defences destroyed three drones over Riyadh and the southern regions. The airport reopened Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for Saudi national carriers on 25 October, but flight tracking on Monday showed most scheduled departures cancelled; Gulf News's list of 26 October shows Riyadh Air's RX241 and Saudia's SV596 from Riyadh to Dubai and flynas's XY205 from Gassim cancelled, and Cirium data show 7,802 of 17,299 departures from Saudi Arabia, 45.1 per cent, cancelled or not operated between 8 and 25 October, with the daily share falling to 16.51 per cent on 24 October and rising again to 44.23 per cent on 25 October. For 26 October, Emirates lists every Dubai flight to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah as cancelled while its four Madinah services operate, with Jeddah still due to resume on 30 October and Riyadh and Dammam on 8 November, dates The National notes are subject to change; Etihad's Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh and Dammam and its EY601 to EY604 Jeddah services remain cancelled through 5 November; flydubai's Riyadh, Dammam and Abha flights are cancelled through 29 October while its Jeddah, Madinah, Gassim, Ha'il and Tabuk flights operate; and Air Arabia's Sharjah flights to Riyadh, Dammam, Abha and Taif are cancelled with no date.

Saudia is routing some Riyadh passengers through Al Qassim and Dammam with a coach transfer, and Riyadh Air operates only through Al Qassim until further notice. Civil Defence also said that debris from the two ballistic missiles intercepted over the south on 25 October injured a Saudi citizen and an Asian resident in Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah and damaged three residential buildings and seven vehicles, where earlier reports had said there were no casualties. Residents travelling for Umrah should confirm their flight to Jeddah or Madinah with the airline before leaving for the airport, and anyone booked to Riyadh on a Saudi airline should ask whether the flight operates through Al Qassim or Dammam.