Houthi Strikes Kill One More at Riyadh Airport, Death Toll for Week Reaches 18

A projectile struck Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, killing one person and injuring 11 others. Saudi authorities reported the hit caused a fire. The death brings the toll from attacks on the airport this week to 18.

The Sunday strike followed a larger attack on Saturday that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. Saudi civil aviation officials said the Saturday dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese. An Indian national later died from injuries sustained that day. The Indian embassy confirmed the death of Mohammed Yousuf, 46. Pakistani officials said six of their nationals were among the injured from the earlier strike.

Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the Saturday attack and others. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group carried out multiple operations against the airport and against facilities of Saudi Aramco. He linked the strikes to Saudi air operations in Yemen, claiming Riyadh launched 124 airstrikes in the previous 24 hours. Houthis also claimed a strike on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and on Aramco sites. In a televised statement Saree described the airports as legitimate targets in response to what he called brutal aggression.

Saudi-led coalition forces said they intercepted a cruise missile near the Riyadh airport, destroyed a drone in the Eastern Province, and intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait. Airport operations were suspended after the Saturday attack and remained closed into Monday while officials assessed damage to radar, communications and runways. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or diverted. Flightradar24 data showed the closure extended until at least 2100 GMT on Sunday, with further assessment required.

The attacks mark the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade and come amid wider fighting tied to the Iran war. Houthis have targeted Saudi airports and oil sites in response to the kingdom’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government. A Riyadh-based diplomat described the airport as a civilian target. Video released by Al Arabiya showed passengers in the terminal running as part of the ceiling collapsed and debris fell after the Saturday blast.

President Donald Trump said over the weekend that the United States may join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, meeting as the R4 group, condemned the attacks on the airport as a dangerous escalation and reaffirmed support for Saudi measures. Houthi-aligned media reported Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport and other sites. Iranian officials have said the Yemen escalation benefits only Israel.

The pattern shows Houthi forces can reach the Saudi capital repeatedly despite interceptions. Each successful hit forces longer closures at a major hub serving a city of roughly eight million. Foreign nationals make up a large share of the casualties, reflecting the airport’s role as a transit point for workers and pilgrims. The Indian, Bangladeshi, American and other deaths add pressure on governments whose citizens live or work in the kingdom. One Western diplomat said the official wounded figure of more than 300 may understate the total because it appeared to exclude lighter cases. Emergency services were reported overwhelmed after the Saturday strike.

Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed that radar and communications equipment suffered damage and that runways needed inspection before any resumption of commercial flights. The second strike on Sunday, though smaller, demonstrated that the airport remained vulnerable even while closed. Houthi statements warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace, raising the prospect of further disruption to regional travel and to the movement of workers from South Asia and elsewhere.

The escalation sits inside the broader Iran-linked conflict. Houthi actions have expanded since the summer, and Saudi air campaigns have intensified in response. Whether the United States enters the fight directly will shape the next phase. For now, the airport remains closed, flights stay cancelled, and the death toll continues to rise. The combination of civilian casualties, infrastructure damage and the risk of wider involvement keeps the story active beyond the immediate news cycle.