Saudi civil aviation authorities said an attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday killed 12 people and wounded more than 300. Reuters reported that the dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one person each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. Officials put the number of wounded at 309, with some in critical condition.
The Associated Press independently reported the same death toll and said more than 300 people were injured. A regional official told AP that a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights.
Flights halted after the attack
Airport operations were suspended and all flights were diverted, according to Reuters. An eyewitness described an explosion followed by people lying injured inside the airport, while Reuters verified video showing ambulances at the scene. The U.S. Embassy and several other governments urged their citizens to avoid the airport.
The attack was the third at King Khalid International Airport that week. Reuters said the two previous strikes killed four people and heavily damaged a Saudi commercial aircraft parked on the tarmac. AP reported that the Houthis had claimed earlier attacks on the airport.
Responsibility remains attributed
A Saudi-led military coalition blamed Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis for Saturday’s attack and promised a response. The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for the latest strike when Reuters and AP filed their reports.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned what he called a Houthi attack, saying attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the airport attacks and confirmed that an American was among those killed.
The airport strikes have unfolded alongside renewed fighting in Yemen after a 2022 ceasefire unraveled. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched an offensive against Houthi-held territory, while the Houthis intensified attacks on Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure. President Donald Trump said the United States would consider joining Saudi strikes on the group.
