A missile strike on Riyadh’s main international airport has killed 12 people and wounded more than 300, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. The Riyadh airport attack happened on Saturday, October 10, 2026, and Saudi-led coalition officials blamed Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen.
It was the third attack on the airport in a single week, and it has halted flights, shaken travel plans across the region, and prompted US President Donald Trump to say he is weighing whether the United States should join Saudi strikes on the Houthis.
Quick Highlights : Riyadh Airport Attack
- The Riyadh airport attack killed 12 people and injured 309, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities
- A missile hit the complex housing terminals 3 and 4, used for domestic flights at King Khalid International Airport
- The victims included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan
- It was the third strike on the airport in one week, after attacks on Wednesday and Thursday
- Operations at King Khalid airport were suspended and hundreds of flights cancelled
- Trump said the US may join Saudi strikes; Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the attacks reprehensible
- Schools in Riyadh moved to remote learning for a week
What Happened at the Airport
A missile struck the terminals 3 and 4 complex at King Khalid International Airport at about 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to regional officials who spoke to news agencies on condition of anonymity. The airport was evacuated and ambulances rushed to the site.
One witness waiting to board at the domestic terminal told Agence France-Presse that they saw gate 401 hit and people wounded in front of them as everyone ran. A relative of one injured person said the person was cut on the shoulders and arms by shattered glass. The Saudi civil aviation authority later put the toll at 12 dead and 309 wounded, some in critical condition.
Who Was Killed
Saudi authorities listed the dead as four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi residents, and one resident each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. The mix reflects how many foreign workers and residents travel through Saudi domestic and regional routes, and it is part of why the Riyadh airport attack has drawn reaction well beyond the Gulf.
The injured are being treated at several hospitals across the city, according to the Saudi statement.
A Week of Escalating Strikes
The Riyadh airport attack came after two earlier strikes. On Wednesday, the Houthis said they hit King Khalid and Abha airports with ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for Saudi-backed air strikes on Sanaa airport in Yemen. On Thursday, an attack on King Khalid airport and an aircraft killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot.
A Houthi media official said after Saturday’s strike that the group had “shut down” Riyadh’s airport. Saudi authorities said a projectile also fell near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, which has become an important alternative to Riyadh during this spate of attacks.
Travel Disruption
King Khalid airport suspended operations and hundreds of flights were cancelled or diverted. Australia’s government told travellers not to fly to Riyadh, and other Western governments told their citizens to avoid the area.
Travellers with bookings through Riyadh should contact their airline directly for rebooking options and check their own government’s travel advice before making plans. For people living in Saudi Arabia on work or residence visas, including large migrant worker communities, the closure also affects family travel and return journeys, and the situation may change quickly.
Reactions From Washington and the UN
Trump said he was evaluating whether the US should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. He said he had only just learned of the attack and would decide quickly. Rubio described the attacks as reprehensible and said they must stop immediately.
The United Nations condemned the strike. The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, told the Security Council that Yemen has fallen back into full-scale war and warned that women and children would be the first victims.
The Wider Fighting in Yemen
The Riyadh airport attack is part of a wider escalation after a truce in the long-running war between the Houthis and Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers since then.
Fighting is also centred on the Bab al-Mandab strait and Perim Island, which watches over traffic from the Red Sea toward the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis seized control of the strait two weeks ago and said Saudi-linked commercial traffic would not be allowed through. Forces allied with the Yemeni government say they have retaken the area, but accounts conflict. A government military spokesperson said only about half the area has been recaptured, while Houthi officials claim to have destroyed government armoured vehicles. These battlefield claims have not been independently confirmed.
What This Means for Residents and Travellers
Anyone in Riyadh should follow guidance from local authorities and their embassy. Schools in the capital are on remote learning for a week, and further disruption is possible if attacks continue. Foreign residents should keep passports and residence documents accessible and register with their country’s embassy where that service exists.
Employers and families with workers in Saudi Arabia may need contingency plans for travel and communication, since flight availability could change from one day to the next.
Key Takeaways Of Riyadh Airport Attack
The Riyadh airport attack killed 12 people and wounded 309, making it the deadliest of three strikes on King Khalid airport in a week. Flights are suspended, governments are warning travellers, and Trump has said the US may join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. With a UN envoy describing a return to full-scale war in Yemen and conflicting claims over the Bab al-Mandab strait, further escalation and travel disruption are possible.
FAQs : Riyadh Airport Attack
How many people died in the Riyadh airport attack?
Saudi civil aviation authorities said 12 people were killed and 309 were wounded in the strike on King Khalid International Airport.
Who was responsible for the Riyadh Airport Attack?
A Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen, and a Houthi media official said the group had shut down the airport.
Are flights operating in and out of Riyadh after Riyadh Airport Attack?
Operations at King Khalid airport were suspended and hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted, so travellers should check with their airline and their government’s advice.
What did the US say?
Trump said the US may join Saudi strikes and would decide quickly. Rubio called the attacks reprehensible and said they must stop.
Why is the fighting escalating now?
A truce in the war between the Houthis and Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July, and the Houthis have since struck Saudi airports, oil sites, and tankers.
Source : The Guardian
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