Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh airport after deadly Houthi strikes as attacks persist

Saudi Arabia reopened its main airport for international flights, more than two weeks after deadly strikes by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels knocked the facility out of service.

Earlier Sunday, the kingdom said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone fired by the Houthis.

A massive Israeli military operation underway this weekend in the occupied West Bank — in response to an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three in Hebron on Friday — has displaced hundreds of Palestinians over the weekend and put major restrictions on Palestinian movement.

It comes just days ahead of Israel's tense election on Tuesday, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the wars and the hard-right turn Israel has taken both domestically and on the world stage.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday.

Riyadh reopens its international airport as Houthi attacks persist

The King Khalid International Airport said it has opened terminals 1 and 2 for domestic and international flights, starting Sunday.

The airport announcement came as the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen continued to fire drones and missiles toward the Saudi capital.

Saudi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said they intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone fired by the Houthis early on Sunday.

In early October, Houthi strikes hit a complex housing two other terminals, killing 17 people and wounding over 330.

Last week, the Riyadh airport opened to limited domestic flights.

Israel conducts operation in West Bank

The Israeli military carried out a massive military operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinians and placing major restrictions on Palestinian movement.

The operations came in response to an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday.

The operation comes as Israel enters the final days before a tense election, the first since the 2023 Hamas-led attacks and ensuing wars in the region.

The vote is largely seen as a referendum on current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and security policies during the past three years of war.

The Israeli military announced early Sunday that most Palestinian workers with permits will not be allowed to enter Israeli communities for work in the occupied West Bank on Sunday and Monday, and several crossings will also remain closed until after Israel's elections on Tuesday.