Twelve killed in Riyadh airport attack as Houthis step up strikes

At least 12 people were killed and 309 others were injured on Saturday in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike, marking a major escalation in their campaign against Saudi Arabia. Those killed include four Saudi nationals, two people from Bangladesh, and one person each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. The attack hit without warning because the nation's threat warning system did not send an alert. Operations at the airport were suspended, and all flights to the city of eight million people were diverted or cancelled. Hospitals treated the wounded who arrived by ambulance and helicopter, with some patients in critical condition. An eyewitness in the domestic terminal reported seeing gate 401 struck and people injured, while travellers said part of the ceiling near a departure gate fell down. US President Donald Trump said his team would look at whether Washington would join Saudi strikes on the Houthis and decide quickly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned the attacks and confirmed an American citizen died in the strike. The Saudi-led coalition called the incident a war crime and promised a firm response, noting that two earlier attacks on the same airport this week had already killed four people.

Context

King Khalid International Airport is a major aviation hub serving the Saudi capital, and its closure disrupts travel across the region. The broader conflict involves Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition has opposed the Houthi movement for years. Regional air defences and security measures face renewed scrutiny following these sudden strikes.