A missile strike hit domestic terminals at King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, halting flights as regional fighting intensifies.
A strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed at least 12 people and injured 309 others on Saturday, Saudi civil aviation authorities said.
The dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, as well as one American, CBS News reported. Several of the injured were in critical condition and were being treated at local hospitals. A regional official told the outlet that a missile hit a complex that houses domestic flight terminals 3 and 4.
The attack followed earlier strikes that shook Saudi energy facilities, coming days after Houthi forces launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Aramco sites.
Emergency response and US reaction
King Khalid International Airport was evacuated after a loud explosion was heard on Saturday afternoon, according to BBC News. An eyewitness reported seeing more than a dozen ambulances rushing to the site.
Operations at the airport were halted through midnight, with entrance roads blocked by heavy police details and terminal lights dimmed, according to an aviation notice and on-site reports. Flights were diverted to other airports across the region.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen did not immediately claim responsibility for the Saturday blast. However, US President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House that his administration was monitoring the situation and considering military action.
“We may. We’re gonna look at it,” Trump said when asked whether the United States would join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, adding, “we move very quickly.”
A US State Department spokesperson condemned attacks against civilian airports and confirmed Washington was in close contact with Saudi officials. The US Embassy in Riyadh warned American citizens to avoid the airport and adjacent districts, a step also taken by diplomatic missions from Britain, Germany, Canada, Australia and Ireland, Al Jazeera reported.
How the fighting escalated
Saturday’s blast marked the latest in a wave of attacks on Saudi civilian and transport infrastructure. Houthi forces had claimed strikes earlier in the week on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudis, including an airline pilot. Those strikes damaged three aircraft, including a commercial plane operated by the Saudi national carrier.
Earlier strikes on October 6 and 7 targeted King Khalid and Abha airports, killing three civilians and injuring 36 others. The Houthis stated their operations were retaliation for a long-standing Saudi blockade and an alleged Saudi air raid on Sanaa International Airport.
The cross-border exchange follows renewed ground warfare inside Yemen. A 2022 ceasefire that halted years of fighting began falling apart in July. Tensions intensified after Houthi fighters seized parts of the Red Sea coast, including the port of Mokha along the Bab al-Mandab Strait, before pro-government forces reported securing the waterway. The Saudi-led coalition then launched a broader offensive to provide air support for Yemeni government troops.
Aviation fallout and upcoming events
The strikes have severely disrupted air travel across the Arabian Peninsula. The Houthis recently issued warnings telling global carriers to avoid entering Saudi airspace, declaring it an active military operational zone except over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded safety guidance for Saudi airspace, pointing out that rebel weapons can reach deeper into Saudi territory and that interception efforts raise the danger of misidentifying commercial airplanes.
Flight tracking services recorded at least 291 flight cancellations in Riyadh over a 24-hour window. Several major international carriers, including Lufthansa Group, Air India, FlyDubai, Kuwait Airways and Pakistan International Airlines, canceled or suspended service to Saudi airports.
The disruption comes as Saudi Arabia prepares to host an international energy summit. The Saudi energy ministry continued to promote the major conference, which was scheduled to open in Riyadh on Sunday.
