A missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 on 10 October, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported. The strike hit a complex containing Terminals 3 and 4, which handle domestic flights, prompting the suspension of airport operations and the diversion or cancellation of hundreds of flights. Some of the injured were in critical condition.
The fatalities included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Sudan and Palestine. The airport serves as a major hub for Riyadh and supports domestic and international services operated by Saudi and foreign airlines.
Saudi-led coalition officials attributed the attack to Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, although the group had not claimed responsibility for this strike. The Houthis had claimed earlier attacks on Riyadh airport during the same week, including incidents that killed three people, among them a pilot, and damaged a Saudia aircraft and airport facilities.
Authorities initially suspended flights through midnight, while subsequent reporting indicated that the closure could continue until at least 12 October. The exact missile type, launch location and full extent of infrastructure damage were not immediately established.