Riyadh Airport Missile Attack Kills 12, Wounds 309 — Deadliest Strike on Saudi Soil in Over a Decade

A missile strike on the passenger-terminal complex at Riyadh’s King Khalid airport killed 12 people and wounded 309 on Saturday, authorities confirmed. The deadliest attack on Saudi soil in over a decade was blamed on Houthi rebels by the Saudi-led coalition, which vowed a decisive response, while US President Donald Trump said he would consider joining strikes.

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A missile struck the passenger-terminal complex of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, killing 12 people and wounding 309, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in an official statement on Sunday. The toll makes it the deadliest attack on Saudi soil in more than a decade — and the latest in a wave of strikes that is pulling the United States toward possible military action.

The missile hit the airport complex housing terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights, a regional official said on condition of anonymity. According to the aviation authority’s statement, the dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals: two Bangladeshis and one citizen each of the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The injured, some in serious condition, were taken to hospitals across the capital.

What happened at the airport

GACA confirmed the casualty figures early on Sunday, October 11, and said assessments of the damage to airport property were still under way. Operations at the airport were suspended following the strike.

The scale of the casualties triggered a rare emergency response. Health officials activated a mass call-up of doctors to cope with what a medical source described as a serious emergency, and two doctors told AFP that some of the wounded were pilgrims travelling on to Mecca.

A passenger who was inside the terminal when the missile struck described watching it hit a neighboring gate as people ran for safety. Footage shared on social media after the attack and reviewed by the Associated Press showed ambulances stationed outside the airport.

A wave of attacks, not an isolated strike

The strike is the latest — and by far the deadliest — of several attacks on the airport in the past week. Earlier this week, the airport was hit in a separate strike that killed three people, a fraction of this weekend’s toll.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen blamed the attack on Iran-backed Houthi rebels, calling it a terrorist act and a war crime. Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the Joint Forces Command would answer the attack firmly, stating: “The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will respond decisively to this terrorist attack in accordance with the Customary International Humanitarian Law.”

The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for this specific strike at the time of reporting. The violence comes amid an unprecedented wave of Houthi attacks on the kingdom since the truce in their long-running war with Yemen’s Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July.

Why it matters

The attack is the deadliest in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the wider Iran conflict, whose fronts have expanded to include the recent surge in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. An international airport — a purely civilian target — was struck during operating hours, and the victims span at least nine nationalities.

It also carries a direct religious dimension: some of the wounded were pilgrims on their way to Mecca, according to doctors who treated them. Riyadh hosted a meeting of the Mecca Defence Pact committee just last week, underlining how central the city has become to the region’s security architecture.

The most consequential fallout may be geopolitical. US President Donald Trump said he would consider joining strikes against the rebels, signalling that Washington could enter the fight directly. With attacks mounting week after week, the danger of the conflict widening has sharpened — a prospect reinforced by Washington’s new signal that it might join the fight directly.

Air travel is already disrupted. Airport operations remain suspended while damage assessments continue, and Indian carrier Akasa Air has suspended its Riyadh services until October 13. Passengers with travel plans have been advised to check directly with their airlines before heading to the airport.

What happens next

Watch for the coalition’s promised response — and whether it materialises as retaliatory strikes in Yemen, which would mark a sharp escalation from the kingdom’s current posture. Watch too for whether the Houthis claim the attack, and whether Washington converts Trump’s signal into an actual decision to join military action.

On the ground, the immediate questions are the airport’s reopening timeline and the fate of the injured in critical condition. GACA has not yet said when operations will resume, and authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage to the terminal complex.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were killed and injured in the Riyadh airport attack?

Twelve people were killed and 309 injured, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, which confirmed the toll in an official statement on October 11. The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals, including two Bangladeshis and one US citizen. Some of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Who did Saudi Arabia blame for the attack?

The Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and called the strike a terrorist act and a war crime. Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki vowed a decisive response. The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for this specific strike at the time of reporting.

Is Riyadh’s King Khalid airport operating now?

No. Operations were suspended after the attack while authorities assess the damage to the terminal complex. At least one carrier, India’s Akasa Air, has suspended Riyadh services until October 13. Passengers should check directly with their airlines before travelling.

Could the United States get involved militarily?

US President Donald Trump said he would consider joining strikes against the Houthis, signalling that Washington could take direct military action against the rebels. No decision has been announced. The statement marks the sharpest US signal of involvement since the wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia began.