Attack on Riyadh airport kills 12, including one American, Saudi authorities say
At least 12 people were killed and 309 injured Saturday in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi authorities said, days after Yemen's Houthis claimed earlier strikes on the same airport; flights have been suspended.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
At least 12 people were killed and 309 injured on Saturday in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, local authorities said, according to the BBC. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said the dead were four Saudi and two Bangladeshi nationals and one citizen each of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan, Syria and the United States. Operations at the airport have been suspended.
Why it matters
The Iran-backed Houthis, who control most of northwest Yemen, say they are targeting Saudi Arabia over its support for Yemen's government. An informal truce in place since 2022 began to unravel in July, when the Houthis announced a "maritime embargo" on Saudi Arabia and began missile and drone attacks on airports, oil facilities and tankers. A strike that kills foreign nationals, including an American, at a major international hub raises the stakes for Washington and Gulf air travel.
More context
An eyewitness in the domestic terminal told Reuters they saw gate 401 hit and people injured in front of them. The U.S. Embassy said it was aware of attacks and urged Americans to avoid the area, and the UK Foreign Office told British nationals to stay away until the airport is secure. The Saudi-led coalition said a projectile also fell near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
Travel impact: Several Gulf airlines, including Kuwait Airways, cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, and flight-tracking data showed flights to the city diverted or cancelled, the BBC reported. AP reported that President Trump is weighing joining the fight against the Houthis after the airport was struck again; no U.S. decision had been announced at the time of writing.
Timeline of recent attacks on Saudi airports, as reported by the BBC: on Oct. 6 and 7, Houthi attacks on two Saudi airports killed three people; on Friday, Saudi authorities said three Saudis, including a pilot, were killed in two attacks on the Riyadh airport; on Saturday, the deadliest strike so far hit the same airport.
What's still unknown: Saudi authorities had not publicly said what weapon was used or who carried out Saturday's strike, and the BBC described it as a suspected attack. It is also unclear when the airport will reopen.
3 listed sources
- www.bbc.co.uk
- Reuters, Oct 10, 2026: "Attack on Saudi airport leaves 12 dead, dozens wounded, sources say"
- AP, Oct 10, 2026: "Trump weighs joining the fight against Houthis after Saudi capital's airport is struck again"
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Casualty figures are from Saudi authorities as reported by the BBC and may change. The BBC described Saturday's strike as a suspected attack and did not attribute it; the Houthis claimed earlier strikes on the airport this week. The hero photo is a file photo of the airport from 2008, not from Saturday.
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