A Saudi passenger plane was destroyed in a missile attack by Houthi forces on October 8, 2023, at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Witnesses reported that the aircraft, an Airbus A310-200 operated by Saudia Airlines, was engulfed in flames, with emergency services responding to the scene.

According to OSINT Warfare, a social media account that tracks open-source intelligence, images shared online showed the aircraft almost completely burned, surrounded by firefighting vehicles. Two sources from AFP confirmed that the Saudia plane was damaged while parked at Terminal 4, sustaining significant damage to its fuselage, including cracks and holes. Reports suggest that the Houthi attack may have hit three planes in total.

It remains unclear whether the aircraft was directly struck by a missile or if it was damaged by debris from a missile intercepted by Saudi air defenses. At the time of the attack, the plane reportedly was not carrying any passengers, but the possibility of casualties has not been ruled out.

Video footage verified by Reuters showed large plumes of black smoke rising from the aircraft parking area at King Khalid Airport. The Houthi group, which has been in conflict with Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility for the missile strike, warning all international airlines about the dangers of operating flights over Saudi airspace, declaring it a "battlefield." However, they noted that the warning does not apply to the airspace over the holy sites in Mecca and Medina.

In response to the escalating conflict, the Saudi-led international coalition announced that they had intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 indicated that numerous flights to and from King Khalid Airport have been delayed as a result of the attack. Airlines such as Lufthansa, IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa have temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh.

The ongoing conflict between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has intensified since July, with the Houthis also declaring a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and targeting its vessels in the Red Sea. According to maritime tracking company Kpler, Saudi Arabia's export volumes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have significantly decreased since July.