Houthi Strikes on Riyadh Airport Kill at Least 13 and Wound Hundreds

Houthi forces in Yemen struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 and 11 October 2026, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 300. Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed the casualties and suspended airport operations after the Saturday attack, the deadliest in the kingdom in more than ten years.

The Saturday missile hit a complex of terminals for domestic flights. The dead included four Saudi citizens, two from Bangladesh, and one each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. More than 300 were wounded, some critically. An Indian national later died of injuries from that strike, bringing the toll higher. A Pakistani resident died in the Sunday attack, which also wounded 11.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the Saturday strike and others, including on Dammam airport and Aramco facilities. The group warned airlines against using Saudi airspace, calling transit hubs a theatre of operations. This followed earlier strikes that week that killed three Saudis, including a pilot, and damaged a Saudia aircraft.

Saudi-led coalition forces reported intercepting some projectiles. Operations at the airport serving a city of about eight million were halted, with flights diverted. Conferences in Riyadh continued according to Saudi statements. President Donald Trump said the US was considering whether to join Saudi strikes against the Houthis.

The attacks escalate the Yemen conflict after a ceasefire unravelled. Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognised Yemeni government against the Iran-aligned Houthis. Houthi media said Saudi warplanes hit Sanaa airport and other sites. The Houthi-run health ministry reported dozens killed in coalition strikes over recent weeks.

This forms part of broader fighting linked to the Iran war. The Pentagon has updated US casualty figures from related operations to 21 killed and 865 wounded. UK assessments have linked Iran's IRGC to a plot against RAF Fairford, a base used by US bombers.

Saudi authorities identified the dead by nationality and said the wounded received hospital care. Airport infrastructure suffered damage. No military facilities are at the civilian terminal. The Houthis have targeted the airport repeatedly since earlier in the week.

Trump and other leaders condemned the attacks on civilian sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the strikes. Saudi statements called the targets civilian and noted the vulnerability exposed by the campaign.

The death toll and repeated hits on a major international airport mark a sharp rise in the intensity of Houthi operations against Saudi Arabia. Officials have not detailed air defence performance in the incidents. Flights remain disrupted as damage assessments continue.

The events occur against the background of ongoing negotiations and military exchanges involving Iran, the Houthis, Saudi Arabia and the United States. No independent verification of all claims has been published. Saudi and Houthi statements provide the primary public accounts.