Houthi Missile Strike Damages Saudia Aircraft at Riyadh Airport Amid Escalating Attacks

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, with footage circulating online showing a parked Saudia Airlines Airbus A310-200 engulfed in flames on the airport tarmac.

Videos reviewed by multiple sources showed thick black smoke rising from the airport apron as emergency crews responded to the fire. Open-source intelligence accounts and social media users identified the aircraft as a Saudia A310-200 that was reportedly destroyed or heavily damaged while parked at the airport.

Reuters reported that witnesses and sources briefed on the incident confirmed that a commercial aircraft had caught fire, although Saudi authorities had not publicly identified the aircraft involved.

The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia this week. Saudi civil aviation authorities said earlier strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports killed three people, including a Sudanese national in Riyadh, and injured 36 others.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh and other targets, while Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the group had successfully struck its targets and disrupted air traffic.

Flights at King Khalid International Airport were halted, with widespread cancellations reported and the airport temporarily closed, according to flight-tracking data. Several international airlines, including Air India and Lufthansa Group carriers, suspended or cancelled services to Riyadh amid heightened security concerns.

The Houthis have also warned international airlines against operating through Saudi airspace.

The latest attacks come amid renewed fighting in Yemen’s civil war, with Saudi-backed forces conducting operations against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Reports also said debris from intercepted missiles caused damage to a kindergarten and a medical facility in Riyadh, although no additional casualties were immediately confirmed.