Breaking! A Saudi Arabian Airlines passenger plane destroyed by an explosion! Airlines from multiple countries urgently suspend flights!
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On October 8 (local time), King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, was struck by a missile launched by Houthi forces. The airport sustained damage, and a Saudia passenger aircraft parked on the tarmac caught fire, suffering severe damage to its fuselage.
A Houthi spokesperson subsequently issued a statement claiming responsibility for launching a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport, stating that the attack caused damage to the facility and disrupted air traffic.
**Passenger Aircraft Destroyed**
Explosions were heard multiple times that day in downtown Riyadh and the vicinity of the airport. Footage from the scene, verified by Reuters, showed thick black smoke rising over King Khalid International Airport, with flames visible within the complex.
According to eyewitnesses, airport staff and passengers were instructed to leave their checked luggage behind and evacuate the area.
Reuters reported, citing three informed sources, that a Saudia passenger aircraft caught fire and sustained heavy damage while parked at the airport. The plane was stationed near the terminal; while it is believed there were no passengers on board, the possibility of injuries among ground personnel could not yet be ruled out.
Reports indicate that the damage may have been caused by shrapnel following a missile interception or by a direct hit from the missile body itself.
*The Telegraph* reported that Houthi forces "destroyed" a Saudi Arabian Airlines passenger jet during an attack on Riyadh's main airport; footage from the scene showed the aircraft engulfed in flames.
Saudi officials and Saudi Arabian Airlines have not yet issued an official statement regarding the latest attack or the cause of the damage to the aircraft.
Separately, sources claimed that a total of three aircraft were hit during the attack, though this assertion has not been confirmed by Saudi officials or other authoritative sources.
Videos circulating on social media showed multiple damaged aircraft, though several of these clips have since been identified as fake or archival footage.
**Airport Temporarily Closed; Multiple Airlines Suspend Flights**
Riyadh International Airport was temporarily closed following the attack, with all inbound and outbound flights suspended, though some operations have since resumed. Saudi civil aviation authorities stated that, as of 9:00 PM local time, some flights on the Jeddah-Riyadh route had restarted and airport operations had "returned to normal." However, operations remain highly volatile; the airport has been closed and reopened multiple times in recent days due to incoming threats.
Data from Cirium shows that, out of 378 scheduled departures from Riyadh airport on the 8th, 169 flights were cancelled or did not operate. The airport has advised travelers to verify their flight status directly with their airlines before departing.
Following the attack, several international airlines quickly adjusted their schedules. The Lufthansa Group announced the suspension of flights to Riyadh by its subsidiary airlines until October 16, citing the current situation in the Middle East.
From India, IndiGo announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Riyadh until October 9, while Air India and Akasa Air suspended relevant flights until October 10. An Air India flight originally scheduled to fly from Delhi to Riyadh turned back that same day.
Saudi airports have faced repeated attacks in recent days. The General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia announced on October 7 that Abha International Airport in the country's southwest and King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh, were struck in successive attacks between October 6 and 7, resulting in a total of three deaths and 36 injuries.