The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Saudi authorities say 3 killed in Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh airport
An airline pilot was among three Saudi citizens killed in attacks targeting Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and a Saudia aircraft, the kingdom’s civil aviation authority said Friday. Several people “of different nationalities” were wounded.
Three Saudi citizens were killed, including an airline pilot, in attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and a Saudia aircraft, according to the kingdom’s civil aviation authority. Several people of different nationalities were wounded in the incidents.
The strikes targeted airport facilities first and then an aircraft on the ground, with one claim from the Houthis stating a ballistic missile was used against the airport. The Saudia Group confirmed the death of Capt. Hamoud Ali Alkalthami and noted damage to one of its aircraft on the ground.
Flight disruptions followed the attacks, with at least 124 flights to and from Riyadh canceled by Friday afternoon, and additional cancellations reported the day before. Several airlines suspended flights to Saudi Arabia for the coming days due to the situation in the region.
The events come amid an escalated conflict between a Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have warned about operating in Saudi airspace. The coalition said it destroyed three Houthi rocket launch platforms in connection with the broader military activity in Yemen.