Every war the Royal Saudi Air Force has fought
The 1984 clash over the Gulf is given as the Saudi claim reported by Wikipedia; Iran’s account could not be checked. In Yemen from 2015 the coalition says it strikes only military targets, while the Yemen Data Project and Amnesty International attribute thousands of civilian deaths to coalition air raids and Human Rights Watch called two strikes apparent war crimes; those figures cover the whole coalition, not the RSAF alone, and the coalition does not accept them. Saudi Arabia describes its actions against Iran and the Houthis in 2026 as self-defence. Where a consolidated sortie or loss figure exists in the official record it is given here; where accounts disagree, the range is shown and the disagreement named. Blank cells are blank because no figure could be verified, not because the fighting was small.
From the Yemeni border in 1966 to the Houthi missiles of 2026.
| Conflict | Years | Against | Main aircraft | Sorties | Aircraft lost | |
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| Fighting on the Yemen borderthe North Yemen civil war periodRoyal Saudi Air Force | 1966–1968 | Yemeni republican forces | Hawker Hunter F.60 | 1 | ||
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Hunters flew ground-attack missions against Yemeni forces. The six Hunters delivered under the Magic Carpet deal in July 1966 were used, according to Wikipedia, for ground attack primarily against Yemeni rebel forces on the southern border during the years when Saudi Arabia backed the royalist side in North Yemen’s civil war and Egyptian forces backed the republic. One was lost in 1967 and the rest were passed to Jordan in 1968. Outcome The surviving Hunters were given to Jordan in 1968. Sparse sourcing: dates and the circumstances of the 1967 loss could not be confirmed beyond Wikipedia. |
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| Al-Wadiah warthe 1969 border war with South YemenRoyal Saudi Air Force | 1969–1970 | People’s Republic of Southern Yemen | English Electric Lightning F.53 | 1 | ||
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Lightnings attacked South Yemeni forces and supply lines; ground-attack missions continued into 1970. South Yemeni forces captured the border post of al-Wadiah in late November 1969. According to Wikipedia, Lightnings flown by Saudi and Pakistani pilots from Khamis Mushait launched rocket attacks on Yemeni supply lines over two days, and Saudi forces retook the post by 5 December. No 6 Squadron flew further ground-attack missions from December 1969 to May 1970. Saudi sources cited by Wikipedia put South Yemeni losses at 35–39 killed and 26 captured. Outcome Saudi forces held al-Wadiah by 5 December 1969; the 2000 Treaty of Jeddah later confirmed Saudi sovereignty. South Yemeni casualty figures come from Saudi sources only. Reports of four Lightnings shot down in 1978 were not corroborated and are omitted.
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| Air clash with Iran over the Gulfthe 5 June 1984 engagementRoyal Saudi Air Force | 1984 | Iran | F-15C Eagle | 0 | ||
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F-15Cs intercepted Iranian fighters during the Iran–Iraq "tanker war". According to Wikipedia, RSAF F-15C pilots shot down two Iranian Air Force F-4E Phantom IIs on 5 June 1984. This was the RSAF’s first air-to-air success. Outcome Saudi claim of two Iranian aircraft shot down. Iran’s position on the engagement could not be checked for this page; the claim is attributed, not independently confirmed.
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| Gulf warOperation Desert Shield and Desert StormRoyal Saudi Air Force | 1990–1991 | Iraq | F-15C, Tornado IDS, Tornado ADVand 6 more | 2 | ||
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Air defence, interdiction, reconnaissance, tanker and airlift support within the US-led coalition. Saudi Arabia was the coalition’s main base. The RSAF deployed, according to Wikipedia, 69 F-15Cs, 24 Tornado ADV, 24 Tornado IDS, 87 F-5E/F and 10 RF-5E, with AWACS, tankers and transports. On 24 January 1991 Captain Ayedh al-Shamrani, flying an F-15C, shot down two Iraqi Mirage F1s heading towards the Gulf coast; Wikipedia says they were attacking towards the Ras Tanura refinery, and the Arabic Wikipedia credits him with AIM-9 Sidewinders. Outcome Two Iraqi Mirage F1s shot down by an RSAF F-15C on 24 January 1991. Wikipedia also reports an F-15C crash that the Iraqi Air Force claimed as a kill; this could not be corroborated.
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| Border war with the HouthisOperation Scorched EarthRoyal Saudi Air Force | 2009–2010 | Houthis (Ansar Allah) | F-15, Tornado IDS | |||
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F-15s and Tornados struck Houthi positions after a cross-border attack. After a Saudi border patrol was ambushed on 3 November 2009, Saudi Arabia sent F-15 and Tornado jets against Houthi positions from 5 November, according to Wikipedia; Saudi officials denied hitting targets inside Yemen while reports described heavy bombardment of Yemeni locations. Air operations continued into February 2010. Outcome The Houthis accepted Yemeni government ceasefire terms on 12 February 2010. Civilian casualty figures for the Saudi strikes could not be confirmed.
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| Campaign against the Islamic StateOperation Inherent Resolve (Syria)Royal Saudi Air Force | 2014– | Islamic State | F-15 | |||
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Joined the first US-led strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria. Saudi Arabia was among the five Arab states that joined the United States in striking the Islamic State in Syria from the night of 22/23 September 2014, according to Wikipedia. Outcome Saudi participation faded after the Yemen war began in 2015.
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| Saudi-led intervention in YemenOperation Decisive Storm and Operation Restoring HopeRoyal Saudi Air Force | 2015–2022 | Houthis (Ansar Allah) | F-15C, F-15S/SA, Tornado IDSand 4 more | 25,054 | ||
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Led the coalition air campaign against the Houthis in support of the internationally recognised government. Operation Decisive Storm began on 26 March 2015 and was followed by Operation Restoring Hope on 22 April 2015. The coalition says it intervened at the request of President Hadi’s government and that it strikes only military targets. The Yemen Data Project recorded 25,054 coalition air raids in seven years and, as cited by Wikipedia, 8,672 civilians killed and 9,741 injured by them. Amnesty International documented 42 coalition strikes it says violated international humanitarian law, killing 518 civilians and injuring 433, and reported the coalition’s use of six types of cluster munitions. Human Rights Watch called the strike on the Sanaa funeral hall on 8 October 2016 (the health ministry reported 110 killed and 610 wounded on 9 October) and the Dhahyan school bus strike of 9 August 2018 (the ICRC reported 50 killed, 29 of them children under 15) apparent war crimes. The coalition’s Joint Incidents Assessment Team said the funeral strike was based on wrong information supplied by Yemeni government sources, and on 1 September 2018 its spokesman, Lt. Gen. Mansour al-Mansour, said the bus strike was not justified at that moment and that those responsible would be held accountable. Which coalition air force flew a given raid is rarely published. Outcome Truce from April 2022; it lapsed on 2 October 2022 but large-scale air raids did not resume until 2026. Casualty counts are contested and come from monitors the coalition does not accept; the Yemen Data Project and Amnesty figures cover coalition air raids as a whole, not the RSAF alone. The UN Panel of Experts’ reports could not be retrieved for this update and are therefore not quoted.
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| The 2026 Iran warIranian strikes on Saudi ArabiaRoyal Saudi Air Force and air defence forces | 2026 | Iran | ||||
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Air defence of the kingdom against Iranian missiles and drones; the RSAF’s own role has not been detailed officially. The war began on 28 February 2026 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran fired missiles and drones at Riyadh and the Eastern Province from 1 March and struck a THAAD radar site in Saudi Arabia, according to reports collated by Wikipedia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Saudi airspace had been closed to US and Israeli attackers and vowed to use force against Iranian incursions. At the UN General Assembly in September 2026 the Saudi foreign minister accused Iran of flagrant attacks. Outcome Several ceasefires from 8 April 2026; the war was reported ongoing in late September 2026. Fast-moving and poorly sourced at the time of writing; no official figures for RSAF sorties or interceptions were found. Wikipedia lists Saudi Arabia as a belligerent; Saudi Arabia describes its actions as self-defence.
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| Renewed war with the Houthisthe 2026 Yemen fightingRoyal Saudi Air Force | 2026– | Houthis (Ansar Allah) | ||||
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Air defence against Houthi missiles and drones and support of Yemeni government forces; supported by an RAF tanker. Heavy fighting resumed in mid-September 2026 after about four years of relative calm; the Houthis took Mocha and, according to Al Jazeera, the whole Red Sea coast. On 24 September the coalition spokesman, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu had been intercepted; the Houthis said they had targeted Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu. On 22 September the UK prime minister announced that an RAF Voyager would refuel Saudi jets. Saudi Arabia invokes its right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter; the Houthis warned Pakistan and Turkey, partners with Saudi Arabia in the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement of 7 August 2026, against joining in. The UN warned on 22 September that displacement could exceed 230,000. Outcome Ongoing in late September 2026. Saudi airstrike numbers and casualties from the 2026 fighting had not been published by any monitor in the sources checked.
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Nothing matches that search.
Every figure, checked
- Yemen Data Project25,054 coalition air raids over seven years (March 2015–April 2022).
- Human Rights Watch: Yemen: Saudi-Led Funeral Attack Apparent War Crime (13 October 2016)8 October 2016 strike; health ministry 110 killed, 610 wounded; GBU-12 remnants; JIAT inquiry.
- Human Rights Watch: Yemen: Coalition Bus Bombing Apparent War Crime (2 September 2018)9 August 2018 Dhahyan strike; ICRC 50 killed incl. 29 children; JIAT statement of 1 September 2018.
- Human Rights Watch: World Report 2023 – YemenTruce April–October 2022; January 2022 strikes; end of the Group of Eminent Experts mandate in October 2021.
- Amnesty International: Yemen war: no end in sight (updated 24 March 2020)42 coalition strikes, 518 civilians killed, 433 injured; six types of cluster munitions; OHCHR count of more than 20,000 civilian casualties from all parties.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi Arabia news index (accessed 1 October 2026)Headlines of September 2026, including the Saudi foreign minister accusing Iran of flagrant attacks at the UN General Assembly (26 September).
- Al Jazeera: How much is UK supporting Saudi Arabia in its war with Iran-backed Houthis? (23 September 2026)RAF Voyager tanker announced 22 September 2026; renewed fighting.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi-led coalition says shot down 6 ballistic missiles launched by Houthis (24 September 2026)Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki; Houthi claims on Riyadh and Yanbu.
- Al Jazeera: Pakistan, Turkiye edge closer towards joining Saudi war against Houthis (25 September 2026)Mecca Joint Defence Agreement of 7 August 2026; Saudi Article 51 position; Houthi warnings.
- Al Jazeera: Yemen’s war disrupts roads and ports, deepening humanitarian crisis (29 September 2026)Fighting resumed mid-September 2026; UN displacement warning of 22 September.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Back to the Royal Saudi Air Force.