Riyadh, October 9,2026: Three Saudi nationals were killed and several others injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said on Friday.
In a statement posted on X, the authority said the first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck an aircraft belonging to national carrier Saudia Airlines. The injuries ranged from minor to severe, and the attacks caused material damage.
The authority said airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.
Separately, Saudia Airlines confirmed the death of one of its pilots, Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, and reported damage to an aircraft at Riyadh airport.
“It is with profound sadness that Saudia announces the passing of Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami,” the airline said in a statement, referring to an incident at King Khalid International Airport.
PIA suspends Riyadh flights
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) temporarily suspended its flight operations to Riyadh, citing the security situation in the Middle East.
The move followed similar decisions by several international airlines. Lufthansa Group announced that its airlines would suspend flights to the Saudi capital until October 16, citing developments in the region.
India’s IndiGo cancelled all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air suspended their services until October 10.
The flight suspensions came amid growing security concerns following a series of attacks targeting Saudi airports.
Houthis claim responsibility
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed on Thursday that it had attacked Riyadh airport with two cruise missiles.
The group also claimed to have targeted an airport in the southwestern city of Najran and an airbase in Khamis Mushait with ballistic missiles. Saudi authorities had not confirmed the reported attacks on those locations.
The Houthis have said their actions target Saudi Arabia over its support for government forces in Yemen’s renewed civil war. Riyadh, meanwhile, is backing an offensive by Yemen’s internationally recognized government to regain territory held by the Houthis.
Saudi authorities had also reported three deaths in earlier strikes this week targeting Riyadh airport and Abha airport in the country’s southwest.
Security concerns spread across Riyadh
The attacks heightened security concerns in the Saudi capital, with reports of smoke and flames rising from Riyadh airport after a stationary commercial aircraft caught fire. The fire was later extinguished, according to accounts cited by Reuters.
Following loud explosions in Riyadh on Thursday morning, several multinational companies in the King Abdullah Financial District reportedly instructed employees to work from home or evacuated their offices.
Diplomatic missions were also instructed to shelter in place, while at least one international school moved children to a basement for safety.
The attacks have added another dimension to the regional instability linked to the wider US-Iran war, raising concerns about further escalation and the potential spread of the conflict across the Middle East.
