3 Saudi citizens reportedly killed in Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport; 'Saudia' employee among victims

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Three Saudi citizens were killed and several others injured in two separate attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in an official statement on Friday, while Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of its employees was killed in the incident.

According to GACA, the first attack targeted the airport's facilities, while the second targeted a Saudia aircraft. The attacks also caused property damage and injured Saudi citizens and residents of various nationalities.

"The attacks resulted in the martyrdom of (3) Saudi citizens, may Allah bestow his mercy upon them, and injuries to a number of Saudi citizens and residents of various nationalities, ranging from minor to critical. All injured individuals were transported immediately to hospital for appropriate medical care. The attacks also caused some property damage," GACA said.

The authority said emergency response teams and relevant agencies responded immediately following the attacks in accordance with established protocols and applicable emergency response plans.

"GACA continues to work, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to complete the damage assessment, verify the safety of the facilities, and take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and personnel and maintain the security and safety of the Kingdom's civil aviation system," the statement added.

GACA also confirmed that airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal. Meanwhile, Saudia Airlines confirmed that one of its employees died in the incident and expressed condolences to the deceased employee's family.

"Saudia confirms that the incident at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in the loss of one of its employees. The airline extends its deepest condolences to his family," the airline said in its official statement issued on Friday.

The airline also confirmed that one of its aircraft was damaged while on the ground at the airport, adding that no passengers were on board at the time of the incident. "The incident also caused damage to one of its aircraft while it was on the ground at the airport. No passengers were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident," Saudia said.

The airline said it had activated emergency response procedures immediately after the incident in coordination with the relevant authorities to manage the situation, monitor the condition of those affected, and provide necessary care and support to them and their families.

"Immediately following the incident, Saudia activated its emergency response procedures in coordination with the relevant authorities to manage the situation, monitor the condition of those affected, and provide the necessary care and support to them and their families," it added.

Saudia further said that its flights and operations at King Khalid International Airport had returned to normal at 6 pm (local time) on Thursday, October 8.

"Saudia's flights and operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh returned to normal as of 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The airline continues to monitor flight schedules and communicate with passengers through its official channels," the statement said.

GACA said it was continuing to coordinate with relevant authorities to assess the damage and verify the safety of airport facilities while taking measures to ensure the safety of passengers and personnel.

The updates come as earlier, according to the Kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport took place separately on October 6 and 7.

The attacks resulted in three deaths and 36 injuries, with two people killed and 28 injured at Abha Airport, while one person was killed and eight injured in the strike at King Khalid International Airport. GACA said the injured were taken to hospitals for medical treatment, while authorities assessed the damage and checked the safety of the facilities. (ANI)