At least 12 people have been killed and 309 others injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, prompting the Saudi-led military coalition to threaten a decisive response against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The coalition accused the Iran-backed Houthi movement of carrying out the attack on the airport’s domestic terminal, describing the incident as a “full-fledged war crime”.
A diplomatic source attributed the strike to a missile, while Saudi authorities reported that several of the injured were in serious condition.
The attack occurred amid renewed Houthi assaults on Saudi Arabia following the collapse of a truce in the group’s long-running conflict with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Riyadh.
The escalating violence has raised fears of a wider regional conflict, particularly after US President Donald Trump indicated that Washington could participate in military operations against the Houthis.
According to Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority, the 12 people killed included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.
A passenger who witnessed the attack told AFP that the strike hit the domestic terminal while travellers were waiting to board their flights.
“I was on gate 403,” the witness said. “I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running.”
Airport operations were suspended following the incident as authorities began assessing the damage and responding to the casualties.
Health officials also activated an emergency mobilisation of medical personnel to treat the large number of injured people. A medical source described the situation as a “serious emergency situation”.
Two doctors told AFP that several pilgrims travelling to Mecca were among those wounded in the attack.
The incident also disrupted education in the Saudi capital, with authorities directing schools across Riyadh to move to remote learning for the second time in a month.
Parents received emails referring to an education ministry directive stating that “all schools in Riyadh will switch to distance learning for the entire week”.
Saudi Coalition Accuses Houthis of War Crime
The Saudi-led coalition strongly condemned the attack, accusing the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and airport personnel.
Its spokesman, Major General Turki al-Malki, described the incident as a serious violation and warned of the consequences.
“The cowardly terrorist attack by the Terrorist Houthi Militia… which resulted in deaths and injuries among civilian passengers and airport staff, constitutes a full-fledged war crime,” al-Malki said in a statement posted on X.
Before the airport strike, the coalition had announced that it intercepted missiles targeting Saudi Arabia and destroyed launch platforms allegedly used in the attacks.
The Houthis had claimed responsibility for a series of attacks targeting the airport on Thursday, which reportedly killed three people and damaged an aircraft. However, the group had not immediately claimed responsibility for Saturday’s latest strike.
The attack is the deadliest reported on Saudi soil since May 2015, when a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State militant group killed 21 worshippers at a Shia mosque in the eastern Qatif governorate.
Trump Signals Possible US Military Involvement
The attack has renewed questions about whether the United States will directly participate in Saudi military operations against the Houthis.
Asked on Saturday whether he had changed his position on joining the kingdom’s military campaign against the group, Trump responded, “We may.”
The US president also said he intended to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, describing the airport attack as “not acceptable”.
US media reports have previously indicated that Saudi requests for American military assistance against the Houthis had been rejected.
Meanwhile, the US, Canadian, German and Spanish embassies in Saudi Arabia advised their citizens to stay away from the airport following the attack.
A senior Western diplomat told AFP that several embassies were also prohibiting their staff from using the airport “over the next week”.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, condemned what he called the “heinous attack” and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security under the defence pact between the two nations.
Renewed Fighting in Yemen Raises Regional Security Concerns
The airport attack comes amid a fresh escalation in Yemen’s conflict, following the collapse in July of a four-year truce brokered by the United Nations.
The breakdown of the ceasefire reignited fighting between the Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Saudi Arabia has led an international military coalition supporting the Yemeni government since 2015, drawing the kingdom deeper into the conflict in its impoverished neighbour.
Military sources told AFP that Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces were advancing against the Houthis in areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which the group captured last month.
The Yemeni government announced a counter-offensive last week aimed at retaking all territories under Houthi control.
The Houthis confirmed that government forces had launched attacks in the Bab al-Mandab area but claimed their fighters had successfully repelled the offensive.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a strategically important passage for international shipping, serving as a major route for oil and cargo vessels travelling through the Red Sea.
The renewed fighting has therefore raised concerns about possible disruptions to regional security, global energy supplies and international trade.
However, claims made by the opposing sides have been difficult to verify independently because of rapidly changing conditions on the ground and limited access for journalists.
The attack also comes ahead of Saudi Arabia’s major convention and entertainment season, which includes prominent events in Riyadh and an investment conference that typically attracts foreign leaders and influential business figures.
Source: AFP
