# Three Killed in Riyadh Airport Strike as Saudi Source Rules Out Houthi Cease-Fire

*Friday, October 9, 2026 at 10:05 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-10-09T10:05:20.364Z (2h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/20096.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: A Houthi attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed three Saudi citizens and damaged a Saudia aircraft, Saudi aviation officials say. A regional source cited by AFP says Saudi Arabia won’t accept a cease-fire with the Houthis until Yemeni government forces retake recently lost territory.

The war around Yemen has reached deep into Saudi Arabia’s civilian air network, with strikes on Riyadh’s main airport killing three people and damaging a passenger jet, while a regional source says Riyadh is hardening its stance on a cease‑fire.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority reports that two attacks on King Khalid International Airport on Thursday killed three Saudi citizens and injured several people of different nationalities. Saudia, the national airline, said Captain Hamoud bin Ali al‑Kalthami was among the dead and that he was killed in a Houthi attack on a civilian aircraft at the airport.

A military spokesperson for the Houthis claimed responsibility, saying their forces had attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with two cruise missiles and had also struck Najran Airport and other locations inside Saudi Arabia.

The strikes triggered large‑scale disruption. Flight‑tracking site Flightradar24 recorded 335 cancelled flights at Riyadh on Thursday alone. Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to Riyadh after what it described as repeated Houthi strikes on Saudi airports. A Pakistani national was among those injured in earlier attacks this week.

The attacks also show up in Saudi political calculations. A regional source cited by AFP said Saudi Arabia is ruling out a truce or cease‑fire with the Houthis until Yemeni government forces recapture territory recently lost to the group. The source said Riyadh would not give in to what it calls Houthi “military blackmail.”

For airline crews and passengers who pass through Riyadh and Najran, the risk profile has shifted. Airports that function as civilian hubs are now listed among declared targets in Houthi statements.

The key developments to watch are whether Saudi Arabia adjusts air defenses around major airports, whether other airlines follow PIA in cutting or rerouting flights, and whether Riyadh shows any sign of easing its condition that Yemeni government forces must first retake lost ground before a cease‑fire is considered.