Hussien Elkabany and Mohammad Sio
10 October 2026•Update: 10 October 2026
Passenger and air traffic at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital returned to normal Friday after two attacks by Yemen’s Houthis killed three Saudi citizens and injured others, Saudi state media reported.
State-run Alekhbariya TV said passenger movement at the airport is “flowing smoothly,” with operational services resumed and air traffic back to normal.
The broadcaster said the rapid restoration of flights reflected the readiness of the airport’s infrastructure and the flexibility of Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation system in dealing with exceptional circumstances and containing their effect, while prioritizing the safety of passengers and staff.
It noted that the attack on the airport was not the first this week, with the country facing Houthi attacks targeting civilian airports since Tuesday.
3 killed in 2 attacks on airport
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said Friday that three citizens were killed and others injured in two attacks Thursday that targeted facilities at the airport and a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft.
It said one attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck a Saudi Airlines aircraft.
The attacks injured a number of citizens and residents of different nationalities, it said.
The injuries ranged from minor to serious, and the wounded were taken to hospitals for treatment.
It also reported property damage from the attacks, without specifying the extent.
The agency did not identify the party responsible for the attacks, but the Houthis said Thursday that they had launched ballistic and cruise missile attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Najran Airport in the south and an air base in Khamis Mushait in the southwest.
