12 killed and more than 300 wounded in attack on Riyadh airport

An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday killed 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. The death toll included four Saudi nationals and eight foreign victims—two Bangladeshis, an American, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian, a Palestinian and a Sudanese. Officials said the wounded, 309 of them, were being treated in several hospitals, with some in critical condition. Saudi‑led coalition spokesperson Turki Al‑Maliki blamed Yemen’s Houthi rebels, stating the strike hit a passenger terminal and vowing a decisive response; he later reported the coalition had intercepted a ballistic missile in Al‑Kharj Governorate and a drone in the Eastern Province.

The assault follows a series of Houthi‑claimed attacks on the same airport, including a deadly strike on Thursday that killed three people. In the wake of Saturday’s bombing, embassies of the United States, Canada, Germany and Spain warned their nationals to avoid the airport, while flight‑tracking data showed all inbound and outbound flights to Riyadh either diverted or cancelled. Kuwait Airways announced the cancellation of its two Riyadh‑Kuwait flights, and other carriers such as Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines had already suspended services after the earlier attack. The Houthis have repeatedly warned airlines that continued operations in Saudi airspace could invite retaliation, reflecting a broader pattern of targeting Saudi transport and energy infrastructure amid the escalating Yemen conflict.

International leaders responded with condemnation and threats of further action. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States was considering joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the incident as a “dangerous escalation” that could destabilize global transport and energy networks. She pledged solidarity with Saudi Arabia, underscoring concerns that Iran‑backed proxies are pushing the region toward a spiral of violence. The attacks have heightened tensions and raised the prospect of expanded military involvement by regional and Western powers.

⚡ Effects Interpreter