‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flights

Read the original at Times of India ↗
Cite

Pandey, P. (2026, October 25). ‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flights. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/will-never-be-safe-houthis-warn-as-riyadh-airport-resumes-flights/articleshow/135181692.cms

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Times of India · collected 2026-10-25 · by Pranjal Pandey

Quick Summary

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resumed operations on Sunday with designated terminals for domestic and international flights. However, the Yemen-based Houthi movement renewed warnings that the airport remains a military target, urging travelers to avoid it due to safety concerns. Houthis previously claimed attacks on several Saudi facilities, including airports and energy infrastructure across the country. In response, Air India and Air India Express have suspended flights to key destinations in Saudi Arabia through November 7th for some routes.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-25, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

As of October 25, 2026, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport resumed limited flight operations after a two-week closure following attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The airport designated Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights operated by national carriers to resume normalcy amid ongoing security threats. Despite this resumption, the Houthis renewed their warning against using the airport as a "military target," indicating continued risks.

On October 24, Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, warned that operations targeting the airport would continue, urging all airlines and travelers to avoid it. The previous attack on October 10 killed 13 people and injured over 300 others, marking one of the deadliest incidents in Saudi Arabia’s history.

In response, Saudi authorities have taken measures to mitigate risks by segregating flight operations within the airport. However, this move has not alleviated concerns among international travelers and airlines about safety. The U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to escalating hostilities involving Iran-backed Houthis.

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels in Yemen intensified following a breakdown of a years-long truce, shifting focus from broader regional conflicts and deepening humanitarian crises within Yemen. The attacks on civilian infrastructure like airports have significant implications for global oil prices and air travel safety.

Written for “Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia” on 2026-10-25, grounded in this article and the 15 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 105126: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-25

Story

📰 Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia
Politics · 16 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 11% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Iran-aligned Houthis warn against using Riyadh airport as it announces reopening same event · 95%
The Straits Times · 0.94 cosine similarity
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 5 📰 publisher trust 68
“Both articles describe the same day's announcement of Riyadh airport reopening with terminal designation changes and concurrent Houthi warnings.”
Yemen's Houthis renew warning against using Riyadh airport same event · 95%
The Straits Times · 0.92 cosine similarity
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 8 📰 publisher trust 68
“Both articles describe Yemen's Houthis renewing their warning against using Riyadh airport on the same day as the airport resumed operations and designated terminals for flights.”
Yemen's Houthis deny launching drones towards Saudi Medina on Wednesday different event · 95%
The Straits Times
⚖️ Leans left 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 7 📰 publisher trust 68
“The articles describe different events occurring on different dates with distinct locations and outcomes.”
Saudi capital's airport opens to limited traffic, and other Mideast news same event · 95%
Toronto Star
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 17% hedged 6 of 36 📰 publisher trust 64
“Both articles discuss the reopening of Riyadh's main airport after Houthi strikes, specifying different days but referring to the same event and its context.”
Besieged Yemeni city on verge of ‘unmanageable’ crisis, aid workers warn different event · 95%
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans left 🔴 3% hedged 1 of 35 📰 publisher trust 66
“The articles describe different events occurring in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, with one focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Taiz and the other on airport operations in Riyadh.”
Two killed in attack on airport in eastern Saudi Arabia, authorities say different event · 95%
BBC News
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 14% hedged 3 of 22 📰 publisher trust 69
“The articles describe different airports and events occurring on different dates.”
Yemen’s Houthis say they attacked Saudi Defence Ministry, Aramco in Yanbu and Dammam airport different event · 95%
The Hindu
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 3 📰 publisher trust 77
“Article A reports on attacks claimed by Houthis against various Saudi targets, including Riyadh's airport. Article B discusses the resumption of flights at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh after a warning from Houthis.”
Indian killed as Houthis attack Saudi Arabia’s Dammam airport different event · 95%
The Hindu
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 10% hedged 2 of 21 📰 publisher trust 77
“The articles describe different airports and events: one is an attack on Dammam airport with casualties, while the other reports about flight operations resuming at Riyadh airport following a Houthi warning.”
Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil sites, strikes reported on Yemen's Aden different event · 95%
The Straits Times
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 13 📰 publisher trust 68
“The articles describe different events occurring on separate days: one is about attacks claimed by Houthis, and the other is about the resumption of flights at Riyadh airport.”
Riyadh airport resumes flights following Houthi attacks same event · 95%
The Hindu
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 10 📰 publisher trust 77
“Both articles report on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport resuming flight operations on October 25, 2026, following Houthi attacks.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
19
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
11%
2 of 19 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
59/100
Times of India's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
16
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-25 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Times of India · 3295 article(s) · 2 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 2 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Pranjal Pandey
39 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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2026-10-25 · assertive framing · 6 children among 12 injured in shooting near Florida university stadium
🔮 The airport administration announced that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights and Terminal 2 international flights operated by national carriers, effective Sunday.
2026-10-25 · assertive framing · ‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flights
🔮 In Togliatti, a city on the Volga river in southeastern Russia, a drone barrage damaged industrial infrastructure, Mayor Ilya Sukhikh said.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Ukraine drone attacks cut power and water in Crimea, hit Russian petrochemical plant
🔮 On Friday, Trump said that if problems with access to Starlink communications systems in Ukraine persisted, he would “get it straightened out”.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Ukraine says Starlink, Starshield connections return to normal speeds
🔮 Iran's armed forces chief Ali Abdollahi remarked after US President Donald Trump threatened another "little Epic Fury" to force Iran's compliance, in case negotiations fail. “We will not allow US military ships in the Persian Gulf under any circumstances and at any time,” Iranian state television quoted the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, Ali Abdollahi, as saying.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · 'Trump will take his dream to his grave': Iran says won't allow US warships in Hormuz
🔮 Hours later, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) posted a video on X in Spanish, Cuba's official language, outlining how people with information of interest to the agency could contact it.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · 'Now is the time': Rubio warns Cuba next after Iran, asks Cubans to join hands
🔮 US President Donald Trump on Friday warned Iran of another potential military strike if Tehran fails to reach a diplomatic agreement with Washington, saying the US could launch “another little Epic Fury”.
2026-10-24 · mixed framing · 'Another little Epic Fury': Trump issues new warning; Iran says 'don't play with fire'
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2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Russia sold Alaska for peanuts. Now it guards America against Moscow
🔮 US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Washington may strike Iran's Pickaxe mountain facility as he seeks to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, while ruling out the use of nuclear weapons in the ongoing war.
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🔮 Russia on Monday said it would cease fire for a day so that Ukraine could hold presidential elections, rejecting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's offer for a 60-day truce.
2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Russia offers one-day ceasefire if Kyiv holds elections, rejects 60-day truce bid
Also by Pranjal Pandey
6 children among 12 injured in shooting near Florida university stadium
2026-10-25 · Times of India
Ukraine says Starlink, Starshield connections return to normal speeds
2026-10-24 · Times of India
Ukraine drone attacks cut power and water in Crimea, hit Russian petrochemical plant
2026-10-24 · Times of India
'Trump will take his dream to his grave': Iran says won't allow US warships in Hormuz
2026-10-24 · Times of India
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 39 articles by Pranjal Pandey →

Topics

Dammam Houthis Riyadh Saudi Saudi Arabia

Subjects

Riyadh GPE · 6× Dammam GPE · 3× Houthis NORP · 3× Saree PERSON · 3× Saudi NORP · 3× Saudi Arabia GPE · 3× Air India ORG · 2× Air India Express ORG · 2× Houthi NORP · 2× Yanbu GPE · 2×

Narrative

“Please be advised that Terminal (1) will be designated for domestic flights and Terminal (2) for international flights operated by national carriers at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, effective Sunday, October 25, 2026,” the airport administration said in a passenger update posted on X late on Saturday.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-25
🔮 The airport administration announced that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights and Terminal 2 international flights operated by national carriers, effective Sunday.
2026-10-25 · Times of India
‘Will never be safe’: Houthis warn as Riyadh airport resumes flights · assertive framing

Claims (19 extracted, 2 hedged)

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resumed flight operations on Sunday and designated terminals for domestic and international services, hours before Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis renewed their warning against using the “military target”. asserted
Houthis → resume → target
The airport administration announced that Terminal 1 would handle domestic flights and Terminal 2 international flights operated by national carriers, effective Sunday. asserted
Terminal → announce → carriers
“Please be advised that Terminal (1) will be designated for domestic flights and Terminal (2) for international flights operated by national carriers at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, effective Sunday, October 25, 2026,” the airport administration said in a passenger update posted on X late on Saturday. asserted
administration → advise → Saturday
The airport also urged passengers with confirmed bookings to check their flight status with their airlines before travelling to the airport. asserted
airport → urge → airport
“We kindly advise passengers with confirmed bookings to contact their airlines to verify the status of their bookings and flights before heading to the airport. asserted
We → advise → airport
We appreciate your cooperation and compliance with the instructions,” the advisory said. asserted
advisory → appreciate → instructions
Hours later, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said operations targeting the airport would continue and warned airlines, airport staff and travellers against using the facility. asserted
operations → say → facility
“The Yemeni Armed Forces renew their warning to all global, regional, and local airlines, as well as employees and travellers, against traveling through Khalid Airport in Riyadh, as it is unsafe, being a military target for our forces,” Saree said in an X post. asserted
Saree → renew → post
“The Saudi regime bears the consequences of any operation of the airport and what will result from that, because the Armed Forces will continue their operations toward it and it will never be safe,” he added. asserted
he → bear → it
Houthis earlier claimed attacks on Saudi airports, energy infrastructure asserted
Houthis → claim → airports
The latest warning follows earlier claims by the Houthis that they had targeted King Khalid International Airport and several other aviation, military and energy facilities across Saudi Arabia. uncertain
they → follow → Arabia
Saree said the group had targeted locations in Riyadh, Yanbu, Dammam, Rabigh and other areas. asserted
group → say → Riyadh
“We targeted King Khalid Airport in Riyadh and Aramco Company in Yanbu,” the Houthi spokesperson said. asserted
spokesperson → target → Yanbu
He also claimed attacks on energy infrastructure, saying, “We targeted Rabigh Refinery and the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia.” Saree further claimed that the group had targeted other aviation and military facilities. asserted
group → claim → facilities
“We targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran Airport, and Khamis Mushait Airbase,” he said. asserted
he → target → Dammam
Air India, Air India Express suspend Saudi flights asserted
India → suspend → flights
Amid the evolving security situation, Air India and Air India Express have suspended flights to and from key destinations in Saudi Arabia. asserted
India → evolve → Arabia
According to the airlines' advisory, services connecting Riyadh and Dammam will remain suspended through November 7, while flights to and from Jeddah will be suspended through October 31. uncertain
flights → accord → October
The airlines have offered affected passengers complimentary rebooking options or full refunds. asserted
airlines → offer → options
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