At least 12 people were killed and more than 300 injured in a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, marking the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. The assault came as Yemen’s Houthi movement intensified its campaign against the kingdom amid a widening regional conflict.
Saudi authorities said the fatalities included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi citizens and one person each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. The Saudi civil aviation authority reported that 309 people had been wounded.
Hospitals were overwhelmed as ambulances and helicopters transported injured passengers and airport staff for treatment. Some victims were reported to be in critical condition.
The attack, which occurred without warning, was the third strike targeting the airport in the same week, raising fresh concerns about Saudi Arabia’s ability to protect key civilian infrastructure.
Trump Considers US Involvement in Saudi Strikes
US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering joining Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against the Houthis, following the latest attack.
Asked whether the United States would participate in the strikes, Trump told reporters that his administration would assess the situation before making a decision.
“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” Trump said.
The conflict has spread beyond Yemen amid the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, which began in February, according to the supplied report.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the airport attacks, saying they demonstrated a blatant disregard for civilian life.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced the strike, stressing that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law and must stop immediately.
Riyadh Airport Suspends Operations
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority announced that all flights were diverted from Riyadh on Saturday and operations at the airport were suspended.
King Khalid International Airport serves the Saudi capital, a city of approximately 8 million people, and is a major hub for domestic and international travel.
An eyewitness told Reuters that an explosion was followed by scenes of injured people lying on the ground inside the airport. More than a dozen ambulances were seen rushing to the facility.
A video verified by Reuters showed ambulances at the airport. An injured traveller said they had seen an object moving across the sky before part of the ceiling near a departure gate collapsed.
The US Embassy in Riyadh urged American citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas.
The Houthi media office also claimed that the group had shut down Riyadh’s international airport. However, the Houthis had not officially claimed responsibility for Saturday’s deadly strike at the time of the report.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 injured after Houthi fighters struck Riyadh International Airport with a ballistic missile on Saturday.
Al Jazeera’s Jama Noor Ahmed reports from Riyadh that it marks a dangerous escalation. https://t.co/W8q68jmVsO
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 11, 2026
Houthis Escalate Campaign Against Saudi Arabia
The latest attack followed two earlier strikes on King Khalid International Airport that killed four people and heavily damaged a Saudi commercial aircraft parked on the tarmac.
The attacks have exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s air defences as the kingdom carries out air operations against Houthi-controlled territory in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government launched an offensive this week to recover territory held by the Houthis. However, its forces have made limited progress, while the Houthis have placed the country’s third-largest city, Taiz, under siege, according to the report.
The Houthis have warned international airlines against flying through Saudi airspace, describing it as a zone of military operations. They have said airspace over the holy cities of Makkah and Madina is excluded from that warning.
The escalating attacks have also prompted several airlines to suspend or cancel services to the Saudi capital.
Pakistani Among 36 Injured in Houthi Attacks on Saudi Airports
Yemen Ceasefire Collapse Fuels Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia entered Yemen’s civil war in 2015 at the head of an Arab military coalition seeking to remove the Houthis from the capital, Sanaa.
The conflict developed into a prolonged and devastating stalemate, with fighting, hunger and disease contributing to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
A ceasefire reached between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in 2022 began to unravel this summer, according to the supplied report. The latest escalation followed a rapid Houthi advance that reportedly captured the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait area from Saudi-backed government forces.
Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government have reported hundreds of strikes against Houthi-held territory. The Houthis, in turn, have accused the campaigns of killing civilians, including women and children. Reuters said it could not independently verify those claims.
Security Concerns Ahead of Major Saudi Conferences
The airport attack has heightened security concerns as Riyadh prepares to host major energy and investment conferences.
Earlier Houthi attacks had already prompted airlines to review their services to the Saudi capital. Despite Saturday’s strike, conference organisers said the events would proceed as planned.
The latest assault has intensified pressure on Saudi Arabia to strengthen protection for its airports and other critical infrastructure, while raising the possibility of deeper US involvement in the conflict.
With civilian casualties mounting and regional hostilities continuing to spread, the attack threatens to further destabilise Yemen and the wider Middle East.
