Saudia pilot killed, aircraft damaged in missile attack on Riyadh airport

Dhaka: A Saudia pilot was killed and one of the airline's aircraft was damaged in a ballistic missile attack on King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh on October 8, the Saudi Arabian national flag carrier confirmed.

The airline identified the deceased as Captain Hamoud Ali al-Kalthami. It said the damaged aircraft was parked at the airport, and no passengers were on board at the time.

Earlier, local and international media reported a Saudia Airbus A320 sustained extensive damage and caught fire while parked at a terminal. Sources cited by the reports said the damage could have been caused by falling missile debris or a direct projectile strike.

However, Saudia has not disclosed which aircraft was affected or provided further details on the circumstances of the pilot's death.

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two ballistic missiles over the Saudi capital.

The strike followed earlier attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports on October 6 and 7. Saudi aviation authorities said those attacks killed three people and injured 36.

Operations at Riyadh airport were severely disrupted on October 8. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 169 of the airport's 378 scheduled departures were canceled or did not operate that day.

Several international carriers also suspended services to Riyadh following the attack.