Story perspectives

Houthi Strikes Reopen Riyadh, Dammam Airports After Closures

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 10:24 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Houthi forces launched drones and missiles at Riyadh’s King Khalid and Dammam’s King Fahd airports Oct. 21-25, 2026.
The strikes injured civilians, damaged homes and vehicles, and forced airport terminal closures.
On Oct. 25, King Khalid Airport reopened Terminal 1 for domestic and Terminal 2 for international flights.
A drone intercepted over Aramco’s Shaybah field ignited a contractor’s vehicle, killing a Filipino and a Nepali worker.

History

Historical Context

On 14 September 2019 Houthi-claimed drones and missiles struck Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq and Khurais plants, cutting output by about 5.7 million barrels per day – roughly 5 % of global supply. The attack, tied to the Saudi-led Yemen war that began in 2015, prompted Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the United States to expand air-defence systems. The October 2026 strikes on Riyadh’s airports and the Shaybah field echo that vulnerability.

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Story summary

Houthi forces launched drones and missiles at Riyadh’s King Khalid and Dammam’s King Fahd airports Oct. 21-25, 2026.
The strikes injured civilians, damaged homes and vehicles, and forced airport terminal closures.
On Oct. 25, King Khalid Airport reopened Terminal 1 for domestic and Terminal 2 for international flights.
A drone intercepted over Aramco’s Shaybah field ignited a contractor’s vehicle, killing a Filipino and a Nepali worker.

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