A Saudia aircraft was heavily damaged by fire at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 8 October after an attack on the airport that the Houthi movement claimed responsibility for. Reuters sources said the parked plane was likely hit by shrapnel or another projectile and may be a hull loss, while Saudi authorities had not confirmed whether it was struck directly or by debris.
Video verified by Reuters showed thick black smoke rising over the airport as emergency crews responded near a terminal. The aircraft was reportedly empty, although early reporting could not fully rule out injuries, and the exact cause of the fire remained unclear.
The incident came amid a renewed wave of Houthi strikes on Saudi targets and further disruption to Riyadh’s airspace. Airlines serving the capital moved to suspend or reduce operations, and regional carriers faced a wave of cancellations and delays as authorities dealt with the security fallout.