Cairo: A missile strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people and wounded around 300 others, Saudi civil aviation authorities said early on Sunday. Several injured people were in critical condition. Saudi officials and the Saudi-led coalition blamed Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Associated Press reported.
The attack was the deadliest in a Gulf Arab country since the Iran war began. It came as fighting escalated between the Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.
A regional official, who spoke anonymously, said the missile hit the section of the airport housing Terminals 3 and 4, used for domestic flights.
Saudi officials said the dead included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The wounded were being treated in several hospitals.
Videos shared online and reviewed by The Associated Press showed emergency vehicles outside the airport.
Strike Deepens Regional Crisis
The strike was one of several attacks on the airport in recent days. It may increase Saudi Arabia’s calls for military support from allies, including the United States, as Riyadh tries to avoid a full-scale war with the Houthis.
Soon after the attack, US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering joining Saudi strikes on the rebels. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said. “We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.”
Trump later said he would speak to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and called the attack unacceptable. “what happened in Saudi Arabia is not acceptable,” he said. Asked if the US might intervene, he replied, “We’ll find out.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an American citizen was killed. “These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now,” he wrote on social media.
The Saudi-led coalition blamed the Houthis, calling the strike a “fully-fledged war crime” and vowing a strong response. It said the airport had no military facilities.
The Houthis did not immediately comment. Earlier on Saturday, they accused Saudi Arabia of attacking Sanaa International Airport in Yemen’s Houthi-held capital.
Saudi authorities halted airport operations, blocked entrances and diverted flights. The US, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada advised citizens to avoid the airport.
Meanwhile, US Central Command said a fighter jet disabled the Panama-flagged cargo ship M/V Ocean Molica in the Gulf of Oman after it left an Iranian port and ignored warnings. The crew was unhurt.
Pressure Mounts On Riyadh
The attacks have unsettled markets and raised fears across the region. Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry still promoted a major energy conference in Riyadh beginning Sunday.
The Houthis were earlier largely outside the Iran war. Their attacks now allow Iran to pressure Saudi Arabia, a key US ally.
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have fought since 2015, when Riyadh entered Yemen’s civil war in support of the internationally recognised government. A 2022 ceasefire largely collapsed in July after the Houthis resumed attacks.
Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has sought air-defence help from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt. US support has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning assistance.
Saudi Arabia said its foreign minister spoke by phone with Oman’s counterpart about the need to “support diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions” in the region.
Airlines Divert Flights
The Houthis warned global airlines this week, saying “for the last time” that they could face consequences for using Saudi airspace, which they called part of their military operations.
Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines had already suspended some flights to and from Saudi airports.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded its warning, saying missile and drone attacks and interception efforts “create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft.”
Two regional officials said Houthi attacks on Thursday damaged three planes at Riyadh airport. Saudi Arabia’s national carrier said one of its aircraft was damaged on the ground, with no passengers aboard.
Saudi authorities also warned that “filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability.”