Twelve killed in attack on airport in Saudi capital Riyadh
Riyadh Airport Attack Leaves 12 Dead and Hundreds Injured
Ninoda.com – At least 12 people have died and 309 others have been injured after an attack struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, forcing the closure of the Saudi capital’s main air hub and disrupting flights across the region.
The incident comes amid a sharp rise in fighting linked to Yemen’s long-running conflict. Houthi forces in Yemen had recently said they carried out similar attacks against the airport, while Saudi Arabia and its allies remain engaged against the Iran-backed group.
Victims From Several Countries
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority said four Saudi nationals and two Bangladeshi nationals were among those killed. The remaining victims included one person each from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan, Syria and the United States.
Emergency vehicles were seen heading toward the airport after the strike, as medical services prepared to receive casualties. Doctors were asked to report to hospitals amid what one medical source described as a serious emergency.
“We were told we are dealing with a ‘serious emergency situation’.”
Airport operations were suspended in the immediate aftermath. Flight-tracking information showed that services bound for Riyadh were either cancelled or redirected, while several Gulf airlines stopped flights to and from the city because of security concerns.
Foreign embassies issued warnings to their citizens. The US embassy said it was aware of attacks and advised Americans to avoid the airport area. British nationals were also urged to remain away from the site until authorities said it was secure.
Witness Describes Panic Inside Terminal
A person who had been inside the domestic terminal described scenes of fear and confusion after gate 401 was hit. The witness said people were injured directly in front of them as passengers tried to flee the area.
“Everyone was running.”
The attack also had implications beyond Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition said a projectile landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, on the country’s eastern coast. The reports raised concerns over the vulnerability of civilian aviation facilities during the renewed confrontation.
The latest deaths followed two attacks on Riyadh airport the previous day, in which three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, were killed. Three additional people died in attacks on two Saudi airports on 6 and 7 October.
Escalation in Yemen Conflict
The strikes have taken place during intensified conflict between Yemen’s internationally recognised government, supported by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis, who hold much of north-western Yemen.
The Houthis say Saudi Arabia is being targeted because of its support for Yemeni government forces. Their renewed operations followed a rapid offensive that gave the group control of strategically significant areas along the Red Sea coast.
Among the locations involved was the port of Mokha, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The narrow waterway at the southern end of the Red Sea is a major passage for international shipping, connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Control and security around the strait carry wider importance because of its role in global maritime trade.
Pro-government Yemeni forces have said they secured the strait after the Houthi advance. Even so, the conflict’s spread to airports, oil infrastructure and vessels in the Red Sea has heightened concerns over civilian safety and regional transport links.
A Conflict With Deep Humanitarian Consequences
A Saudi-led military coalition was established in 2015 after Arab states intervened to prevent the Houthis from taking control of Yemen from its internationally recognised government. Years of air strikes, missile attacks and fighting on the ground caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and contributed to one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.
A temporary ceasefire was arranged in 2022, offering a pause after years of sustained violence. That informal truce began to weaken in July, however, as tensions rose again between the opposing sides.
The Houthis later announced what they called a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. They subsequently launched missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports, oil sites and tankers operating in the Red Sea. The group has said its actions are retaliation for what it describes as a prolonged Saudi blockade and for an air strike on Sanaa airport.
For travellers, the attack on Riyadh’s airport has created immediate uncertainty, with cancellations and diversions affecting journeys through one of the kingdom’s most important aviation gateways. The suspension of operations also underlines how quickly the conflict in Yemen can affect civilian movement and infrastructure outside the country’s borders.
Saudi authorities have not indicated when regular airport operations will resume. Passengers with planned travel through Riyadh are being advised to monitor airline notices and official guidance as security assessments continue.
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