The Riyadh airport attack on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded 309, Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said. It was the third Houthi assault on King Khalid International Airport this week.
What We Know About the Riyadh Airport Attack
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said some of the wounded are in critical condition and all are receiving hospital care. The attack also caused property damage, and airport operations were temporarily suspended while officials assessed the damage.
Nawaf Obaid of King’s College London said the initial assessment suggests a ballistic missile was used.
Who Were the Victims
GACA said the dead include four Saudi citizens and eight foreigners. Two were Bangladeshi, and one person each came from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that an American citizen died.
Third Strike on the Airport This Week
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia said Houthi attacks on Abha and King Khalid airports killed three civilians and injured 36. On Thursday, another attack on the Riyadh airport killed at least three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, according to GACA. Saturday’s strike came days later.
Houthi Statement and Airspace Warning
The head of the Houthi media office said on X that the group had shut down Riyadh’s international airport. The Houthis have also declared Saudi airspace a military operations zone, saying any aircraft in it, except over Mecca and Medina, is a target. They made the declaration after the Yemeni government launched an offensive against the group on Monday.
Saudi-Led Coalition and Trump Respond
Coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Malki called the attack a war crime and said the coalition would respond decisively. He also said a projectile fell near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said he was evaluating whether to join Saudi Arabia in striking the Houthis and would decide quickly. Rubio condemned the strike as a blatant disregard for civilian life.
Global Reaction to the Riyadh Airport Attack
Qatar called the attack a direct threat to regional security. Egypt, Jordan and Oman expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The US, UK, Irish and Canadian embassies in Riyadh issued advisories, and the US Mission urged citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas.
Obaid described the strike as an expected response to the Saudi air strikes the Houthis had faced for about two weeks, but condemned it as an attack on a clearly civilian target.
Why the Riyadh Airport Attack Matters
The strike hit one of the Middle East’s busiest travel hubs and killed ordinary passengers and workers from many countries. It also adds to fears for air travel in the region, since the Houthis have warned airlines against using Saudi airspace.
The UN envoy has warned that Yemen has returned to full-scale war and urged dialogue. The Washington Post reported that the attacks come amid a wider Iran war, with the Houthis also striking Saudi oil infrastructure.
What to Watch Next
- Whether the US joins Saudi strikes on the Houthis
- How the coalition carries out its promised response
- Whether airlines change routes or flights over Saudi Arabia
- Whether casualty figures change as authorities update them
Sources: Al Jazeera and Reuters (10 October 2026); The Washington Post.
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