Saudi capital's airport opens to limited traffic, and other Mideast news
The Saudi capital’s airport is back in business after multiple Houthi strikes this month, though only Saudi airlines were operating there on Wednesday.
A British naval maritime security organization said a projectile ignited a fire aboard a tanker off Oman, but its crew is safe.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Wednesday. Read our full coverage here.
Saudi capital’s airport reopens but flights limited
A limited number of Saudi airlines took off and landed at the country’s main airport on Wednesday, two days after authorities notified airlines that they could resume operations with prior permission.
Saudia and FlyNas were operating flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data published by FlightAware. Major carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have canceled flights through mid-November.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been hit multiple times by Yemen’s Houthi rebels this month and shut down on Oct. 10. A drop in air traffic could signal longer-term economic consequences for Saudi Arabia, extending beyond the damage caused by the Houthi strikes.
The Houthis have acknowledged attacking the airport, claiming without evidence that Saudi Arabia provided military equipment to government forces through the facility.
Projectile strike ignites fire aboard tanker off Oman
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said Wednesday an unknown projectile ignited a fire aboard a tanker in the Persian Gulf off Oman.
The attack occurred 11 nautical miles west of the coastal town of Bukha in the Omani province of Musandam, it said.
The UKMTO said the fire was extinguished and the tanker was at anchor, with its crew safe.
The attack was the latest against vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Iran amid its conflict with the United States.
Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia destroyed
