United News of Bangladesh

Saudi Arabia has reopened its main international airport more than two weeks after deadly strikes by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced the facility to suspend operations. The kingdom's military said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone launched by the Houthis early Sunday. Meanwhile, a large-scale Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend has displaced hundreds of Palestinians and imposed severe restrictions on their movement. The operation followed an attack in Hebron on Friday that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. The developments come days before Israel's election on Tuesday, widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of regional wars and his government's right-wing policies at home and abroad. Riyadh airport resumes international flights King Khalid International Airport announced that terminals 1 and 2 reopened for domestic and international flights on Sunday as Houthi rebels continued launching missiles and drones towards the Saudi capital. Saudi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the military intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone fired by the Houthis early Sunday. Houthi strikes in early October hit a complex housing two other airport terminals, killing 17 people and injuring more than 330. The airport resumed limited domestic operations last week. Israeli military expands West Bank operation The Israeli military launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinians and significantly restricting movement in the area. The operation followed Friday's attack in Hebron, which killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. Israel is approaching its first election since the Hamas-led attacks in 2023 and the subsequent regional wars. The vote is widely regarded as a test of Netanyahu's leadership and security policies during three years of conflict. The military announced early Sunday that most Palestinian workers holding permits would be barred from entering Israeli communities in the occupied West Bank for work on Sunday and Monday. Several crossings will also remain closed until after Tuesday's election. Israelis living abroad prepare to return for election The AID Coalition, a US-based nonprofit working to strengthen Israeli democracy, said tens of thousands of Israelis living overseas were expected to return home to vote. Israeli law generally requires citizens to cast their ballots in person inside the country, with limited exceptions for diplomats and certain official representatives serving abroad. Israel has more than 7.3 million registered voters, but opinion polls indicate a closely contested election. Previous elections have also been decided by narrow margins. The potential impact of voters returning from abroad remains uncertain. However, many liberal Israelis who oppose Netanyahu have left the country in recent years, raising the possibility that some returning voters could favour his opponents.