Houthi Attacks Kill Three at Riyadh Airport in Saudi Arabia

Three Saudi citizens were killed and several others injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, October 8, 2026, according to Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation. The strikes targeted airport facilities and a Saudia Airlines aircraft, prompting flight suspensions and heightened security measures amid escalating hostilities between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces.

Saudi aviation authorities said the injured included citizens and residents of various nationalities, with conditions ranging from minor to critical. Emergency teams transported the victims to hospitals, while the attacks also caused property damage. The authority did not initially identify those responsible, although the Houthis claimed responsibility for missile strikes against the airport.

Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of the fatalities was aircraft captain Hamoud bin Ali Al-Kalthami. The national carrier paid tribute to his professional service and expressed condolences to his family, relatives, and colleagues.

The airline said it remembered "with appreciation and pride what the deceased contributed throughout his professional career in serving the national carrier, and the good reputation he left among his colleagues."

The latest deaths followed earlier attacks on Saudi airports on October 6 and 7. The BBC reported that two people were killed and 28 injured in an attack at Abha International Airport, while another person died in an earlier strike on King Khalid International Airport.

The Houthis said they launched two ballistic missiles at Riyadh airport on Thursday. The group also claimed to have targeted an airport in Najran, near the Saudi-Yemeni border, and Khamis Mushait air base farther north. Saudi authorities had not confirmed those additional attacks in the BBC report.

The group's military spokesman described previous attacks as retaliation for Saudi military operations in Yemen. He said the strikes were "in response to the Saudi aggression against our country" and cited "60 air strikes and missile attacks in the past 24 hours" as the stated justification.

The Houthis control much of northwestern Yemen and have fought forces backed by Saudi Arabia during the country's prolonged civil war. The conflict intensified in recent weeks after the group seized strategically important stretches of the Red Sea coast, including the port of Mokha near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical passage for international shipping.

Yemeni pro-government forces subsequently said they had "secured" the Bab al-Mandab Strait. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. A ceasefire brokered in 2022 reduced fighting, but the informal truce began to unravel in July 2026, according to the BBC.

The airport attacks disrupted international air travel, with Lufthansa, Air India, Pakistan International Airlines, FlyDubai, Etihad Airways, Emirates, and Air Arabia among the carriers suspending flights to Riyadh, CBS News reported. The disruptions followed security warnings from the U.S. Embassy and restrictions on travel by government personnel.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also advised airlines against operating in parts of Saudi airspace. Its updated bulletin said "recent attacks have demonstrated the ability and intent of the Houthis to strike targets deeper inside Saudi territory."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the deadly attack and expressed support for Saudi Arabia and its regional partners. She said, "Houthis have once again struck Riyadh's airport, taking three innocent lives. We stand in full solidarity with the people of Saudi Arabia and all our Gulf partners."

Von der Leyen added, "Attacks on civilian infrastructure are unacceptable. Iran's proxies must stop their reckless and violent acts."

The latest strikes have heightened concerns over civilian safety and commercial aviation as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces intensifies. Saudi aviation authorities subsequently said air traffic at King Khalid International Airport had returned to normal.