SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL

Yemen’s Riyan International Airport in the eastern province of Hadhramaut reopened to air traffic on Sunday, receiving its first flight after being largely out of operation for several years, state media reported.

Yemen’s state-run television channel said the airport, located in the coastal city of Mukalla, welcomed a domestic flight arriving from Aden International Airport, marking the official resumption of operations.

The reopening is expected to improve air connectivity between Yemen’s provinces and ease travel for residents, while signaling a gradual return of aviation activity to the strategically located facility.

State media said the resumption of domestic flights comes amid ongoing preparations to launch international services from Riyan Airport, as part of a broader plan by Yemen’s Civil Aviation Authority to rehabilitate airports and restore full operational readiness.

Authorities believe the return of air traffic will help stimulate commercial and humanitarian movement and strengthen Hadhramaut’s position as an important economic and logistical hub.

On Friday, Yemen’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology announced that flight operations at Riyan Airport would resume on Sunday following the completion of technical rehabilitation work aimed at improving safety standards and service quality.

The airport has operated only intermittently since 2015 due to Yemen’s prolonged conflict, which disrupted air travel across much of the country, according to local media.

In recent remarks, Presidential Leadership Council member and Hadhramaut Governor Ahmed Salem al-Khanbashi said Riyan and Seiyun airports had previously been stripped of equipment during periods of instability.

Yemeni government forces recaptured the eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra from fighters of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) early this month. The two regions, which account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory, were seized by STC fighters last month.