A devastating missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, 11 October 2026, resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, one US citizen, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian, and one Sudanese national. The attack, which occurred during an unprecedented wave of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, also left 309 people wounded, with some in serious condition.
The Saudi-led coalition attributed the strike to the Houthi rebels, describing it as a "full-fledged war crime." Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki stated that the attack constituted a terrorist act that resulted in deaths and injuries among civilian passengers and airport staff. The coalition also reported intercepting missiles targeting Saudi Arabia and destroying launch platforms.
The attack on Riyadh airport was the deadliest in the kingdom since May 2015, when a suicide bombing by the Islamic State group killed 21 worshippers in a Shia mosque in the eastern Qatif governorate. Following the strike, operations at the airport were suspended, and authorities began damage assessments. A medical source reported that health officials activated a rare mass call-up of doctors to deal with the serious emergency situation.
The US, Canadian, German, and Spanish embassies in Saudi Arabia warned their citizens to avoid the airport, while several embassies banned their staff from using the airport over the next week. US President Donald Trump signaled that Washington could join military action against the Houthis, stating that he would be speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that what happened in the kingdom was "not acceptable."
The Houthis claimed a series of attacks targeting the airport on Thursday that killed three people and damaged a plane, although they did not immediately take responsibility for the new strike on Saturday. In response to the attack, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the "heinous attack" and reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to Saudi Arabia's security under their defense pact.
The latest attack came on the eve of Saudi Arabia's high-profile convention and entertainment season, which begins this month. Riyadh usually hosts a packed calendar of events, including its flagship investment conference drawing foreign leaders and business titans. In Yemen, Saudi-supported government forces were advancing against the Houthis in areas the group captured last month around the Bab al-Mandab strait, according to military sources.
The Yemeni government last week announced a counter-offensive aimed at retaking all areas held by the Houthis. The Houthis confirmed that government forces had attacked in the Bab al-Mandab area but claimed to have repelled them. The spiraling violence has raised the possibility of a wider escalation, with concerns about the impact on energy supplies and markets.
Key points
- The attack on Riyadh airport resulted in 12 deaths and 309 wounded.
- The Saudi-led coalition vowed a decisive response against Yemen's Houthis.
- The US may join military action against the Houthis.
