Houthi Missile Strike Kills 13 at Riyadh Airport, Saudi Forces Respond in Yemen

A missile strike on Terminal 4 of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300 on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Saudi authorities reported a second projectile hit the same complex the following day, causing a fire and additional injuries while the airport stayed closed to flights.

The Saudi civil aviation authority identified the dead from the Saturday attack as four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, and one national each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. India's embassy in Riyadh said one of its citizens died from injuries sustained in the strike, raising the toll. An Egyptian flight attendant for Flynas, Azza Ramzy, was among those killed.

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attacks. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group conducted four operations using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against airports in Riyadh and Dammam. He described the strikes as a response to Saudi airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition called the airport attack a war crime and vowed a decisive response. On Sunday the Royal Saudi Air Force struck targets in Sanaa, killing a child and wounding seven others, according to reports from the area. The coalition has been supporting Yemeni government forces against the Houthis since the country's civil war began in 2014.

King Khalid International Airport serves a city of roughly eight million people. All flights were diverted after the Saturday strike. Saudi authorities moved schools in Riyadh to online learning from Sunday through Thursday. Conferences scheduled in the capital continued, the Saudi tourism ministry said.

This was the third attack on the airport in a week. Earlier strikes on Thursday killed three people and damaged a Saudi commercial plane on the tarmac. Four people died in attacks on other Saudi airports on October 6 and 7. The Saturday incident was the deadliest attack on Saudi soil since an Islamic State suicide bombing killed 21 worshippers in Qatif in May 2015.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington might consider joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks and confirmed an American citizen was among the dead. India also condemned the strike and called for protection of civilians and critical infrastructure.

The fighting has escalated after a ceasefire in Yemen unravelled earlier this year. The Houthis, backed by Iran, control most of the country including the capital Sanaa. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition that has conducted thousands of airstrikes since 2015. The airport attacks have exposed gaps in Saudi air defences even as the kingdom maintains one of the largest defence budgets in the region.

Passengers described chaos inside the terminal. One witness at gate 403 said he saw the impact near gate 401 and watched people run. Ambulances filled the area. Hospitals activated emergency protocols and called in additional staff.

The latest strikes come amid a wider regional conflict that has drawn in multiple actors. A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an unknown projectile the same weekend. Egyptian airstrikes near the Sudan border killed dozens at an artisanal gold mine. The Houthis have previously targeted Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea.

Saudi authorities continue to assess damage at the airport. No timeline has been given for reopening. The coalition said it intercepted other missiles aimed at the kingdom and destroyed launch platforms inside Yemen.

The deaths of foreign nationals have drawn statements from multiple governments. Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan and others are working with Saudi authorities on the repatriation of remains and assistance to the wounded. India's embassy confirmed one citizen died and said it was helping affected nationals.

For Riyadh, the repeated hits on its main airport raise immediate questions about civilian safety and the reliability of air travel into the capital. The school closures and flight cancellations already affect daily life in a city that has invested heavily in becoming a regional business and tourism hub. How long the airport stays shut, and whether further strikes follow, will shape the next phase of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.