Riyadh Airport Attack Kills Three Saudis, Disrupts Flights Across Region

Riyadh – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – A deadly Riyadh airport attack has shaken Saudi Arabia after three Saudi nationals lost their lives on Thursday. Several other people were hurt when two strikes hit King Khalid International Airport.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation shared the details on Friday in a post on X. It said the first strike hit airport facilities. The second one hit a plane belonging to Saudia, the national airline.

#بيان بشأن استهداف مرافق مطار الملك خالد الدولي وطائرة تابعة للخطوط السعودية.

#الطيران_المدني https://t.co/PPB2d6igZw

— هيئة الطيران المدني (@ksagaca) October 9, 2026

The authority said the injuries ranged from minor to severe. It also confirmed that the strikes caused material damage. However, it said flights have restarted and air traffic is back to normal.

Saudia also confirmed the death of one of its pilots. The airline named him as Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. It said it was deeply saddened and described the event as an incident at the airport.

Scary scenes were seen at the site. A video checked by Reuters showed thick black smoke and flames rising from the airport. A witness and three people briefed on the matter said a parked passenger plane caught fire. The fire was put out later.

Obituary https://t.co/rQHVaVsCx9

— Saudia Group | مجموعة السعودية (@SaudiaGroup) October 9, 2026

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they carried out the Riyadh strike with two cruise missiles. They also said they targeted an airport in Najran and an air base in Khamis Mushait. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the Najran claim.

The Houthis say they are targeting the kingdom because it supports government forces in Yemen. Saudi Arabia says it is backing an offensive by Yemen’s UN-recognised government. The goal is to take back land from the Houthis.

This was not the first hit this week. On Wednesday, Saudi authorities said three people died in earlier strikes on Riyadh airport and Abha airport in the southwest of the country.

King Khalid International is the main air gateway to the Saudi capital. Any damage there affects thousands of passengers, workers and cargo shipments every day. That is why the news spread so fast.

Fear spread across the city on Thursday morning. Loud booms echoed through Riyadh. Several global companies in the King Abdullah Financial District told staff to work from home. Some even evacuated their employees.

Diplomats were told to stay inside their embassies. At least one international school moved children into a basement for safety.

Airlines reacted quickly. Pakistan International Airlines temporarily suspended its flights to Riyadh, citing the situation in the Middle East. Lufthansa Group said it would pause flights to the Saudi capital until October 16.

Indian carriers did the same. IndiGo cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9. Air India and Akasa Air cancelled their flights until October 10.

Passengers who plan to travel to Riyadh should contact their airline before going to the airport. Schedules may change at very short notice, so it is wise to check for updates often.

The conflict is now seen as an overspill of the US-Iran war. It has added more tension to a region that was already unstable.

For now, the airport is working again, but fear remains high. Many people are waiting to see whether more strikes will follow in the coming days.