At Least 12 Killed in Attack on Riyadh Airport

At least 12 people were killed and 309 others injured on Saturday in an attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh. The assault forced an immediate suspension of flight operations and marks the deadliest strike inside the kingdom since May 2015. A Saudi-led military coalition blamed Yemen’s Houthi movement for the strike, calling it a war crime and promising retaliatory action.

Immediate Impact at the Terminal

The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed that the deceased include four Saudi citizens, two nationals from Bangladesh, and one individual each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. Authorities added that several of the 309 injured individuals remain in critical condition.

Witnesses at the domestic terminal reported seeing gate 401 struck during the attack, describing chaotic scenes as people fled the building and emergency services dispatched over a dozen ambulances to the scene. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki stated that the strike directly impacted a passenger terminal, affecting civilian travelers and airport workers.

The attack severely disrupted regional aviation. All flights to and from Riyadh were either diverted or cancelled. Western diplomatic missions advised their citizens to avoid the airport area, with the UK Foreign Office telling British travelers to keep away “until the airport is secure.” Regional carriers, including Kuwait Airways, grounded flights citing the ongoing “security situation.” On the same day, coalition officials reported that a separate projectile landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, located in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Attribution and Recent Attacks

While the Saudi-led coalition attributed Saturday’s strike to the Houthis, the Yemeni group has not publicly claimed responsibility for this specific event. However, Houthi representatives previously acknowledged launching strikes against the same Riyadh airport on Thursday, which resulted in three deaths and damaged an aircraft. Houthi attacks on two other Saudi airports on October 6 and October 7 left three additional people dead.

Global Responses and Retaliation Threats

International leaders swiftly condemned the assault. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the strikes and confirmed the death of an American citizen. When asked whether US forces would join Saudi Arabia in launching strikes against Houthi targets, US President Donald Trump said, “We may. We’re going to look at it.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed shock at the assault, describing it as a “violation of international law” and stating that such actions “must cease immediately.” Additional statements of condemnation were issued by official representatives from Egypt, Palestine, and Qatar.

Background

The attack follows a recent escalation in fighting between Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which controls significant portions of Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition originally intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government after Houthis captured major territory.

Although a temporary ceasefire was established in 2022 following years of intense conflict, hostilities have resurfaced. The Houthis recently announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, launching drones and missiles at Saudi airports, energy infrastructure, and Red Sea shipping vessels. Houthi officials state their actions are in retaliation for a long-running Saudi blockade and air strikes targeting the airport in Sanaa, Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital.