Houthi missile strike damages Saudia plane and halts Riyadh flights

A Houthi‑claimed missile strike set a parked Saudia aircraft ablaze at Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport, leading to widespread flight cancellations.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:24:07 GMT

Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels said they launched a ballistic missile at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Thursday, igniting a parked Saudia Airlines plane and prompting several carriers to suspend flights, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.

What happened

At around 1500 GMT on 9 Oct 2026, witnesses heard explosions at the airport and saw a thick column of black smoke rising from a terminal. Reuters‑cited sources said shrapnel from an intercepted projectile or another missile struck a Saudia aircraft that was parked at the gate, causing a fire that heavily damaged the plane. No passengers were on board, and officials could not immediately confirm injuries. By the same time, Cirium data showed that almost half of scheduled departures from King Khalid had been cancelled, with an additional 31 flights expected to be cancelled on Friday across Saudi airports.

What the reports add

The Independent noted that Air India and Lufthansa also suspended flights to Riyadh, echoing the Guardian’s report that Lufthansa and Air India confirmed the suspensions. The Independent added that the United States President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. would not attack Iran before the U.S. mid‑term elections on 3 Nov, describing ongoing discussions as “productive”. The Guardian did not mention the Trump statement.

What was said

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd,” the Independent quoted Trump as writing on Truth Social.

How it came about

These attacks follow a series of Houthi‑linked strikes on Saudi airports. On 7 Oct 2026, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation reported three civilian deaths and 36 injuries after attacks on Abha and Riyadh airports. The day before the missile strike, Felo News covered explosions heard at Riyadh airport that halted flights (previous article). The ongoing regional tension has already led airlines such as Philippine Airlines to cancel routes to Riyadh (see earlier coverage).

Key facts

A Houthi‑claimed ballistic missile struck a parked Saudia Airlines plane at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, causing a fire. (theguardian.com)
Air India and Lufthansa suspended flights to Riyadh following the incident. (independent.co.uk)
Cirium data indicated almost half of departures from the airport were cancelled by 1500 GMT on Thursday. (theguardian.com)
President Donald Trump said the U.S. would not attack Iran before the U.S. mid‑term elections on 3 Nov. (independent.co.uk)

Where accounts differ

Trump’s statement about U.S. policy toward Iran: Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. will not attack Iran before the November 3 mid‑term elections. (independent.co.uk); The Guardian article does not mention any Trump statement. (theguardian.com)