Three Saudi nationals, including an airline pilot, have been killed in attacks targeting Riyadh airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft, Saudi authorities and the national carrier have confirmed.
In a statement posted on X, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said the first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck an aircraft operated by Saudi state-owned airline Saudia.
The attacks caused injuries ranging from minor to severe, along with material damage, the authority said. It added that airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.
Separately, Saudia confirmed the death of Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, describing his passing as a matter of profound sadness. The airline also reported damage to one of its aircraft at King Khalid International Airport.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) temporarily suspended its flights to Riyadh, citing the evolving security situation in the Middle East.
The decision followed similar measures 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 largest airline, IndiGo, cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air suspended their services until October 10.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed on Thursday that it had targeted 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 said their actions were linked to Saudi Arabia’s support for government forces in Yemen’s renewed civil war. Riyadh has backed an offensive by Yemen’s internationally recognised government to regain territory held by the Houthi movement.
The latest confirmed fatalities follow reports from Saudi authorities on Wednesday that three people had been killed in earlier strikes this week targeting Riyadh and Abha airports.
Footage verified by Reuters showed a large column of black smoke rising from Riyadh airport. A witness and three people familiar with the incident said a stationary commercial aircraft had caught fire, although the blaze was later extinguished.
Following loud explosions reported across Riyadh on Thursday morning, several multinational companies in the King Abdullah Financial District instructed employees to work remotely or evacuated their offices, according to people familiar with the situation.
Diplomats were also instructed to remain inside their embassies, while at least one international school moved children to a basement as a precaution.
The attacks have heightened security concerns across the region as the wider US-Iran war continues to fuel instability and raises fears of further escalation involving additional countries.
