Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh airport kill three, including Saudi pilot

Two attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement, killed three Saudi citizens, including a Saudia pilot, and injured several others on Thursday.King Khalid International Airport was targeted twice on Thursday, with the first attack striking airport facilities and the second hitting a stationary aircraft belonging to national carrier Saudia, according to a statement issued on Friday by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).The attacks caused property damage and wounded Saudi citizens and residents of various nationalities, with injuries ranging from minor to critical. Those injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.Saudia identified one of those killed as Captain Hamoud Ali Al-Kalthami. The airline also confirmed that one of its aircraft was damaged while on the ground, with no passengers on board at the time.Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attacks, with the group’s spokesperson Yahya Saree saying on X that they had launched two cruise missiles at King Khalid International Airport.Saree also claimed that Houthi forces targeted Najran Airport and an airbase in Khamis Mushait with ballistic missiles, causing damage and disrupting air traffic at both airports.استهدفت قواتنا المسلحة مساء اليوم مطار الملك خالد بالرياض بصاروخين مجنحين، ومطار نجران بصاروخ باليستي، والقاعدة الجوية في خميس مشيط بصاروخ باليستي، وكانت الإصابات دقيقة ومباشرة بفضل الله، وأدت إلى تعطل حركة الملاحة في المطارين وإلحاق أضرار بهما وبالقاعدة الجوية.— العميد/ يحيى سريع (@Yah_Saree) October 8, 2026 The attacks were followed by disruptions to international flights serving the Saudi capital.Qatar Airways announced on Friday that it had cancelled several flights between Doha and Riyadh on October 9 and 10, citing operational reasons. The announcement followed the return of Qatar Airways flight QR1164 to Doha on Thursday after departing for Riyadh.The airline has not linked the cancellations to the attacks and said passenger and crew safety remains its highest priority.The GACA said emergency teams responded immediately, while authorities continued damage assessments and safety inspections. The authority also confirmed that operations at King Khalid International Airport had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.