Three people briefed on the incident told Reuters that shrapnel from an interception or another projectile had struck the commercial aircraft, leaving it heavily damaged [1][2]. The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack, saying a ballistic missile caused the damage. The group did not provide evidence for its claim, according to the report [3]. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the Houthi claim [4].
Houthi Claim and Coalition Response
The Houthis said they targeted Riyadh airport and warned workers to stay away from Saudi energy plants, saying the facilities would be targeted, according to the group's statement [5]. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had struck Riyadh airport with drones and carried out another operation against Abha International Airport using ballistic missiles and drones [6].
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said it destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh and another toward Khamis Mushait, Reuters reported. Saudi authorities said they intercepted two missiles targeting the capital [7].
Flight Cancellations and Capital Disruption
Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to Riyadh following the Houthi attacks, the companies said [8]. The suspensions came as airlines prioritized safety amid escalating violence [9].
Residents of Saudi Arabia's capital reported hearing booms on Thursday, a day after the Saudi government said two women and a Sudanese man died in strikes on two airports [10]. A witness told the Associated Press that several explosions were heard across the Saudi capital, including a large blast at the international airport [11]. The attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport came after the Houthis claimed a series of missile and drone strikes on Saudi targets [12].
Prior Attacks and Regional Context
The violence came a day after Saudi Arabia said two people were killed and 28 wounded in an attack at Abha International Airport, while one person was killed and eight were wounded in a separate attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to officials [13]. The attacks are part of a series of assaults on the kingdom, according to reports [14].
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have been engaged in a conflict since 2015, with the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen [6]. The Houthis have made battlefield gains in Taiz, halted a Saudi-backed advance near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and carried out repeated missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia over the past week [14].
References
- Saudi Arabia horror as Houthis blow up plane in brutal Riyadh.... https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/saudi-arabia-horror-houthis-blow-194100000.html
- Plane damaged at Riyadh airport as Houthis escalate attacks, sources .... https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/syria-considers-help-yemen-war-after-saudi-airports-come-under-houthi-fire-2026-10-08/
- Houthis claim attack on Riyadh airport as airlines... | The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/09/riyadh-airport-flights-suspended-houthis-claim-attack
- Huge black smoke billows from Riyadh airport as... - The Mirror. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/riyadh-airport-plane-houthi-attack-37751914
- Plane billows smoke at Riyadh airport as Houthis escalate attacks. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/world/1005298/plane-billows-smoke-at-riyadh-airport-as-houthis-escalate-attacks/story/
- 3 killed, 36 injured in attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha, Riyadh airports. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/3-killed-36-injured-in-attacks-on-saudi-arabias-abha-riyadh-airports/4081390
- Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports Prompt Mass Cancellations. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/world/middleeast/saudi-yemen-houthis-attack.html
- Plane billows smoke at Riyadh airport as Houthis escalate attacks. https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2026/10/08/plane-billows-smoke-at-riyadh-airport-as-houthis-escalate-attacks/
- Riyadh Airport Attack Trending #14 - Break The Web. https://btw.co/node/12592854/riyadh-airport-attack/
- 3 Killed and Dozens Injured in Attacks on Saudi Airports, as Houthis.... https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-airports-houthis.html
- Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital as witness .... https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-explosions-riyadh-airport-35194542a9d7ae54fca983db5f4f1adb
- Saudi Says Airport Attacks In Riyadh, Abha Kill 3, Injure 36 ... - News18. https://www.news18.com/world/saudi-says-airport-attacks-in-riyadh-abha-kill-3-injure-36-after-houthis-claim-strikes-ws-l-10371873.html
- Three people killed in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia airports, officials say. https://bbc.com/news/articles/cwn8d5rx22rdo
- More Victories For The Houthis. https://southfront.press/more-victories-for-the-houthis/
Explainer Infographic
Please contact us for more information.
