Plane damaged at Riyadh airport as Houthis escalate attacks, sources say

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Riyadh Airport Attacked as Houthi Strikes Escalate

   An escalating campaign of missile strikes by Iran-aligned Houthi forces targeting Saudi Arabia has severely damaged a commercial passenger plane and struck Riyadh's international airport. Saudi authorities reported that 12 people were killed and more than 300 others were wounded in the attack on Saturday, marking the deadliest incident in the kingdom in more than a decade. International airlines including Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to the Saudi capital following the explosions.

   Why it matters

   The aerial assaults by Yemen-based Houthi forces represent a dangerous new front in the broader U.S.-Iran conflict, explicitly aiming to shut down the kingdom's airspace and oil facilities. Witnesses at Riyadh airport reported evacuations and billowing smoke as regional fighting intensified across multiple fronts, including clashes in Taiz and Aden. The mounting casualties at civilian infrastructure are expected to pressure Riyadh into seeking increased military support from allies like the United States.

   What is confirmed

   • At least 12 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in an attack on Riyadh's international airport on Saturday.
   • A commercial plane belonging to state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines was heavily damaged by fire while parked at a terminal in Riyadh airport.
   • Lufthansa and Indian airlines suspended flights to Riyadh after the Houthi attacks.
   • The dead on Saturday included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Syria is considering offering help in the Yemen war after Saudi airports came under Houthi fire.
   • Yemen forces have claimed control over a strategic Taiz mountain peak.

   What to watch next

   • Any official military response or requests for enhanced defense support from the United States and other allies.
   • Further announcements from international carriers regarding the extension of flight suspensions to Riyadh.
   • Additional Houthi missile or drone targeting of Saudi energy plants and oil facilities.
   Sources used for this update (23)

   1. Al Jazeera — Iran war live: Yemen forces claim control over strategic Taiz mountain peak
   2. Reuters — Houthis attack Aden airport as fighting intensifies in Yemen
   3. The New York Times — 3 Killed and Dozens Injured in Attacks on Saudi Airports, as Houthis Claim Strikes
   4. AP News — Israel says British Consulate in east Jerusalem has ceased to function and 20 diplomats will leave
   5. Reuters — Syria considers help in Yemen war after Saudi airports come under Houthi fire
   6. CNN — Explosions heard in Saudi capital as Riyadh airport is reported closed
   7. The New York Times — Explosions Rattle Saudi Capital
   8. The Boston Globe — Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital as witness reports evacuation
   9. BBC — Three people killed in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia airports, officials say
   10. CNN — Iran-backed Houthis target Saudi airports for third straight day as they warn of long conflict
   11. U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (.gov) — Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Jerusalem – October 8, 2026
   12. The Guardian — Houthis claim attack on Riyadh airport as airlines suspend flights to Saudi capital
   confidence 100%