An aviation pilot was one of three Saudi nationals who lost their lives in assaults aimed at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, as per Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority on Friday. The initial attack, which occurred on Thursday, targeted airport facilities, followed by a second strike on a Saudi aircraft, the Saudi statement confirmed. While the responsible parties were not identified, the Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting the airport with a ballistic missile. The kingdom reported that several individuals of various nationalities sustained injuries in the attacks.
Among the deceased was Capt. Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, as stated by the Saudia Group. This incident seemed to be the first confirmed attack on the Saudi national carrier since the commencement of the recent offensive. Saudi Arabia’s Saudia Group issued a separate statement indicating that one of its aircraft sustained damage while parked on the ground without passengers. The aviation authorities also mentioned that the injuries ranged from minor to severe for both citizens and individuals of other nationalities.
By Friday afternoon local time, approximately 124 flights to and from Riyadh were canceled, following hundreds of cancellations from the previous day, as reported by flight-tracking site FlightAware. The Indian Embassy revealed that Air India suspended operations until Saturday, while the Lufthansa Group declared the suspension of flights to Riyadh until October 16. Pakistan International Airlines also suspended flights to Riyadh due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, according to an airline spokesperson.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency updated its guidance on Saudi airspace, highlighting the Houthis’ enhanced capability to target deeper locations within the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a heightened focus on aviation infrastructure. The updated guidance expressed concerns about the recurrent missile and drone attacks, potential misidentification of civil aircraft, interception activities, and falling debris, posing increased risks.
The assaults on Thursday marked the deadliest attacks in Saudi Arabia since the kingdom and allied forces in Yemen initiated a significant military offensive against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels over the past weekend. These incidents signified a notable escalation in the ongoing conflict, impacting oil prices and financial markets. Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy, was scheduled to brief the Security Council on the Yemen developments later on Friday.
Saudi allies, including Kuwait and Pakistan, condemned the attack on Riyadh airport. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson affirmed Saudi Arabia’s legitimate right to defend its people and safeguard critical infrastructure. Earlier, Saudi officials reported Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports that resulted in three fatalities. The Saudi-led coalition announced the destruction of three rocket launch platforms used by the rebels to threaten regional security.
The kingdom has sought support from allies, including the United States, with U.S. assistance encompassing intelligence sharing, target identification, and planning for the ongoing offensive. Despite this, President Donald Trump has been hesitant to escalate U.S. military involvement in the Middle East and has not directed American forces to resume strikes against the rebels at present. The offensive’s objective is to reclaim territories captured by the Houthis a month ago along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, crucial for alternative shipping routes to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohamed al-Jaber, announced on Friday that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait had been cleared of Houthi remnants, without elaborating further. In Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, residents heard intense explosions as fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led forces persisted. Protesters gathered in various Houthi-held cities in Yemen to denounce Saudi Arabia and its supporters.
The prolonged conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Yemen has resulted in widespread suffering and hunger, particularly in Yemen, the Arab world’s most impoverished nation. The Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition intervention in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The war has claimed over 150,000 lives, including combatants and civilians, generating one of the world’s severest humanitarian crises. A ceasefire established in 2022 held for a while until this recent escalation.