PoliticsSunday, October 18, 20261 min read

Saudi chopper pilots killed as landmark tower closes offices amid Houthi fighting

By Bilge Kotan · Via Middle East Eye · Published by Everything Blog

In short

A Saudi AH-6i helicopter crashed in Najran, Yemen, killing both crew members. The Saudi-led coalition claims technical failure, while the Houthis say they shot it down. Offices in Riyadh's Kingdom Centre are now working remotely.

Key points

The Houthis claim they shot down the helicopter.: The Houthis claim they shot down the helicopter.
Offices in Riyadh are working remotely due to the incident.: Offices in Riyadh are working remotely due to the incident.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

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Saudi chopper pilots killed as landmark tower closes offices amid Houthi fighting

18 October 2026 16:54 BST

A Saudi helicopter has crashed in the Najran region, killing both crew members, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on Sunday that the AH-6i helicopter had crashed due to a technical fault in an area under the responsibility of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of National Guard.

The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, offered a different account.

The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said Houthi forces had shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter near Najran while it was carrying out operations against Houthi positions along the border.

Meanwhile, management at Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre has ordered office staff to work remotely until further notice.

Read more: Saudi chopper pilots killed as landmark tower closes offices amid Houthi fighting

Original source: www.middleeasteye.net

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Saudi chopper pilots killed as landmark tower closes offices amid Houthi fighting

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