Saudia Aircraft Badly Damaged at Riyadh Airport as Houthi Attacks Escalate
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — WEB DESK: A commercial aircraft belonging to Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia, was reportedly badly damaged at Riyadh airport on Thursday, October 8, as Yemen’s Houthi movement intensified missile attacks targeting the kingdom’s aviation and energy infrastructure.
Three people briefed on the incident said the aircraft caught fire while parked at an airport terminal after being struck by fragments from an intercepted missile or another projectile.
The exact cause of the damage has not been independently established.
No passengers were believed to have been aboard the aircraft at the time. However, the sources could not rule out injuries connected to the incident.
Video footage verified by an international news agency showed flames and a thick column of black smoke rising from the airport area.
Saudi aviation authorities, the government’s media office and Saudia had not issued a detailed public response to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
Houthis Claim Airport Attack
The Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed it had struck Riyadh airport and warned that Saudi energy facilities could also be targeted.
The group’s claim does not independently establish which projectile caused the damage to the parked aircraft.
Saudi officials separately reported that debris from an intercepted missile had struck a kindergarten and medical complex in Riyadh.
Saudi authorities had also reported that three people were killed earlier in the week in attacks affecting Riyadh and Abha airports. Those fatalities should not be confused with the still-unconfirmed casualty situation involving the damaged aircraft.
The Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles directed towards Riyadh and another towards Khamis Mushayt.
Airlines Suspend Flights to Riyadh
The security situation caused widespread disruption to commercial aviation.
Germany’s Lufthansa and India’s Air India announced suspensions of flights to Riyadh following the attacks.
Aviation analytics data indicated that almost half of scheduled departures from Riyadh airport had been cancelled by 15:00 GMT on Thursday.
Additional cancellations were expected across Saudi airports on Friday.
Flight tracking information also showed numerous delayed arrivals and departures at King Khalid International Airport.
Airport authorities advised travellers to check directly with their airlines before travelling.
Yemen Conflict Raises Regional Security Concerns
The latest attacks come amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Houthis say their attacks on Saudi Arabia are a response to Riyadh’s support for government forces fighting them in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia maintains that it is supporting efforts by the internationally recognised government to regain territory from the group.
Recent fighting has also intensified around strategic areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Türkiye has announced defensive and technical assistance for Saudi Arabia, while other regional governments are considering their responses to the escalating conflict.
The renewed fighting has worsened Yemen’s humanitarian situation and raised concerns about the security of airports, energy infrastructure and international shipping.
The aircraft damage and flight disruptions represent a significant aviation security incident, but the precise cause, any related injuries and the full operational impact remain under investigation or unconfirmed.
