Three Saudi nationals, including a pilot of the country’s national airline, were killed in attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 8, 2026. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the deaths on Friday.
The attacks targeted airport facilities and an aircraft belonging to Saudia, the kingdom’s national carrier. Several other people from different nationalities were also injured, although authorities did not immediately share the total number of casualties.
Saudia later identified the pilot as Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami. The airline expressed its condolences to his family and colleagues. The aircraft hit during the incident was on the ground and had no passengers aboard, according to reports.
Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it had targeted the airport with missiles. Saudi authorities confirmed the damage and casualties but did not initially identify those responsible in their statement.
The incident caused major disruption to air travel, with hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed. Pakistan International Airlines also temporarily suspended its flights to Riyadh because of the security situation.
Saudi airport operations gradually returned to normal after the attacks. The incident comes amid escalating fighting between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, raising fresh concerns about civilian safety and regional stability.
