Houthi-claimed missile strikes hit Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Thursday in two waves, killing three Saudi nationals including Saudia pilot Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami and destroying a parked Saudia aircraft that had no passengers aboard, with several more people of various nationalities wounded. The attacks forced more than 124 flight cancellations on Friday per FlightAware, drew suspensions from Air India, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines, and prompted the EU Aviation Safety Agency to recommend airlines avoid additional sections of Saudi airspace. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed three Houthi rocket launch platforms and struck targets in Sanaa overnight, where Houthi officials reported six injured including a child.
Houthi strikes kill three at Riyadh airport, destroy Saudia jet
Houthi-claimed missile strikes on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed three Saudi nationals and destroyed a parked Saudia aircraft on Thursday, the deadliest attack in the kingdom since Riyadh launched its offensive against the Houthis last weekend.
Why it matters: The strikes bring the Iran war to the Saudi capital days before Riyadh hosts the WPC Energy Congress, and the Houthis' warning to airlines threatens Red Sea shipping alternatives to Hormuz.
Data as of Sky News reporting October 9, 2026 (article opened and read in full); casualty and damage figures from Saudi civil aviation authority and Saudia Group statements as reported. Saudi Arabia did not attribute the attack; the Houthis claimed it was their ballistic missile. Corroborated at headline level by Business Standard and aviation press.
Sources
- Three killed in Houthi-claimed strikes on Riyadh airport, Saudi authorities say · Sky News (via Capital FM) · 2026-10-09
- Bangladesh condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia · The Business Standard · 2026-10-09