Saudia plane burns at Riyadh airport as airlines suspend flights

A commercial plane belonging to Saudi Arabia’s state carrier Saudia was badly damaged by fire while parked at Riyadh airport on Thursday, as Yemen’s Houthis stepped up missile attacks aimed at shutting the kingdom’s airspace and oil facilities.

Shrapnel from an interception or another projectile hit the aircraft, three people briefed on the matter told Reuters, The Express Tribune reported. No passengers were believed to be on board, though injuries could not be ruled out. Video verified by Reuters showed a thick column of black smoke and flames rising from the airport.

Saudi officials separately said debris from an intercepted missile hit a kindergarten and a medical complex in Riyadh.

Flights halted

The attacks caused widespread disruption:

• Lufthansa and Air India said they were suspending flights to Riyadh
• almost half of departures from Riyadh airport had been cancelled by 1500 GMT, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, with 31 more cancellations expected across Saudi airports on Friday
• the airport advised travellers to check with airlines before setting out

Several multinational companies in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District told staff to work from home after loud booms were heard on Thursday morning. Some schools told parents there were orders to shelter in place, though authorities issued no public alert.

Saudi Arabia’s government media office, civil aviation authority and Saudia did not respond to requests for comment.

Houthis target airports and oil

The Houthis said they had struck Riyadh airport and warned workers to stay away from energy plants, which they said would be targeted. The Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed two ballistic missiles fired towards Riyadh and another towards Khamis Mushait, home to a major air base.

Saudi authorities said on Wednesday that three people had been killed this week in strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports. Riyadh is due to host a major energy meeting, the WPC Energy Congress, this week.

A widening war

The Houthis say they are targeting the kingdom over its support for government forces in Yemen’s reignited civil war. Saudi Arabia says it is backing an offensive by Yemen’s UN-recognised government to retake territory.

• Front lines: the Houthis seized stretches of the Red Sea coast last month, including along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saudi-backed forces have retaken some areas around the strait this week, while the Houthis have surrounded Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city.
• Humanitarian toll: the fighting has displaced 200,000 people since it resumed, in the Arab world’s poorest country.
• Allies: Saudi Arabia has sought help from allies, including Pakistan and Turkiye. Turkey said it was sending mainly defensive and technical support, including equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems. Syria is weighing options from defensive aid to deploying troops, US and Syrian officials said.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks and said Pakistan would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia.

Why it matters

The conflict, an overspill of the US-Iran war, is now hitting civilian infrastructure in the Saudi capital and disrupting international air travel. A Pakistani national was among those injured in this week’s airport attacks, The Express Tribune reported.

This article draws on reporting by The Express Tribune and Reuters.