Saudi Arabia’s main international airport was struck for a second consecutive day Sunday, causing additional injuries after a deadly missile attack killed 12 people and wounded more than 300, as Iran-backed Houthi forces expanded their operations and President Donald Trump considered possible U.S. military intervention.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A projectile struck a passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, Oct. 11, extending a series of attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement and deepening concerns about the expanding Middle East conflict. The latest strike injured several people and came less than 24 hours after a missile hit the same terminal complex, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300.
Saudi authorities confirmed the renewed attack against the airport’s domestic passenger complex, which serves terminals 3 and 4, as emergency personnel continued responding to the previous day’s casualties and damage. Airport operations remained suspended Sunday, disrupting commercial aviation in the Saudi capital and forcing airlines to cancel or divert flights.
The Associated Press reported that the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks against Riyadh’s airport and other Saudi facilities. The militant group’s operations have intensified in recent days as fighting between Saudi-backed forces and Houthi fighters in Yemen becomes increasingly connected to the broader war involving Iran.
The latest strike caused injuries, although Saudi officials had not immediately disclosed a complete casualty count. Authorities also continued updating the number of people killed in Saturday’s attack, with subsequent reporting indicating that another victim had died from injuries, bringing the toll to 13.
Saturday’s missile strike was the deadliest attack on a Gulf Arab country’s civilian infrastructure since the current war involving Iran began approximately seven months ago. The scale of the casualties has intensified international concerns about the ability of regional governments to protect airports, energy facilities and other essential civilian infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation initially confirmed 12 deaths and 309 injuries, including several people in critical condition.
The Saudi Gazette published the aviation authority’s casualty statement, identifying four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals among those killed.
The foreign victims included two Bangladeshi nationals and one person each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.
The international composition of the casualties illustrated the importance of King Khalid International Airport as a transportation center serving residents, foreign workers, tourists and business travelers from across the world.
Among the victims was Egyptian flight attendant Azza Ramzy, who worked for the Saudi airline Flynas, according to Egyptian state television.
Another victim, Syrian national Buthaina Ahmad Oweida, was a widowed mother of four who had lived in Saudi Arabia for approximately five years after leaving Syria during its civil war.
Her niece, Nisreen Oweida, told the Associated Press that her aunt had been living in Mecca and was returning from a visit with her sister in Riyadh when the attack occurred.
The Syrian Embassy identified Oweida among those killed, adding to the growing number of foreign governments responding to the airport disaster.
The deaths have raised concerns about the vulnerability of civilian aviation facilities to military attacks during an increasingly interconnected regional conflict.
King Khalid International Airport has no military facilities, according to the reporting, and serves as one of Saudi Arabia’s principal commercial aviation centers. Its terminals handle domestic and international passengers traveling through the capital.
The repeated strikes have interrupted flights and left passengers uncertain about when normal airport operations will resume.
Saudi authorities extended the airport’s closure as security officials assessed damage and sought to determine whether additional attacks were likely. Airlines operating across the Gulf announced cancellations and schedule changes affecting travelers entering and leaving Riyadh.
The Indian Express reported that hundreds of flights had been canceled, with carriers including Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia adjusting services because of the security situation.
The disruption also affected connecting flights through neighboring aviation hubs, demonstrating how attacks against a major airport can interfere with transportation beyond the country where the strike occurs.
Saudi officials have warned that the repeated targeting of civilian passenger facilities represents a serious escalation and have indicated that the government will respond to continued attacks.
The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen has been conducting operations against rebel positions and supporting Yemeni government forces attempting to regain territory captured by the movement.
The conflict has intensified around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major route for international shipping.
Houthi forces captured key areas along the waterway last month, creating additional concerns about the safety of commercial vessels using the route.
The rebels have threatened to restrict shipping through the strait as part of their campaign against Saudi Arabia and its regional allies.
Any sustained disruption could have significant international economic consequences because the Bab el-Mandeb is a principal maritime connection between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal.
The strait has become especially important as the conflict involving Iran continues affecting vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, another critical route for oil and natural gas exports.
If commercial traffic faces simultaneous disruptions at both waterways, energy shipments could encounter additional delays, higher insurance costs and longer transportation routes.
The threat has become a major concern for governments and businesses already dealing with elevated petroleum prices and uncertainty surrounding global energy supplies.
The Houthis have increasingly linked their military campaign against Saudi Arabia to the wider confrontation involving Iran, which has provided the Yemeni movement with military and political support.
In recent days, Houthi forces have claimed attacks against Saudi airports, oil facilities and military installations, warning that additional strikes could follow if coalition operations in Yemen continue.
The group also issued a warning Sunday urging commercial airlines and passengers to avoid Saudi airspace.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesperson, warned “all airlines, experts, employees, workers and travelers against using Saudi airports and airspace, as they are vulnerable to attack and have become a theater of operations for our forces.”
Saree said airports serving the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina would be excluded from the group’s threatened operations.
Saudi officials had previously described Mecca as a “red line,” warning against attacks that could endanger the city’s religious significance and the millions of Muslims who visit it.
The warning concerning other Saudi airports nevertheless underscored the extent to which the Houthis are attempting to disrupt aviation and economic activity across the kingdom.
The latest attacks also followed Houthi allegations that Saudi-led forces had bombed facilities in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
On Sunday, the Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that a child had been killed and six people wounded when a suspected Saudi airstrike hit a residence in the city.
The ministry also alleged that Saudi-led coalition operations had killed 91 Yemenis during the preceding five weeks, approximately 60% of them women and children.
Those figures were reported by Houthi-controlled authorities and had not been independently verified. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to the latest allegations.
The Houthis also claimed that the airport in Sanaa had been struck again, accusing Saudi Arabia of conducting additional attacks against the rebel-held capital.
The competing allegations reflect the escalation of military operations on both sides of the Yemen conflict, where civilians have faced repeated threats from airstrikes, missiles and fighting on the ground.
The escalating violence has also increased the possibility of direct American military involvement.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that his administration was considering joining Saudi operations against the Houthis, a move that could further expand the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Trump indicated that he planned to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the deteriorating security situation. The White House had not immediately announced a decision on direct military participation following Sunday’s renewed attack.
American involvement could include additional air defense assistance, intelligence cooperation or direct strikes against Houthi military positions. However, the administration has not publicly identified which options are under consideration.
The possibility of intervention comes as Saudi Arabia faces concerns about its available missile defense capabilities.
Regional officials previously told the Associated Press that Riyadh had requested assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to reinforce air defenses as repeated missile and drone attacks strained its interceptor supplies.
One official said the United States had also experienced reductions in its available interceptor inventories during the ongoing war with Iran, complicating decisions about the deployment of additional defensive systems.
The repeated attacks on Riyadh’s airport have highlighted those concerns because Saudi air defenses have been unable to prevent every projectile from reaching the capital’s aviation infrastructure.
According to Reuters’ latest reporting, Saudi authorities said an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 on Sunday, starting a fire and causing an unspecified number of injuries. The Saudi-led coalition separately reported intercepting a cruise missile near the airport.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for attacks against King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and two Saudi Aramco oil and gas facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the reported strikes against the energy installations.
Those developments have broadened the threat beyond Riyadh, raising concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s petroleum industry and international transportation networks.
Saudi Arabia is among the world’s largest oil exporters, and its production facilities, processing installations and pipelines play an important role in global energy supplies.
The Houthis have demonstrated an ability to attack infrastructure at considerable distances using missiles and drones. The movement has expanded its military capabilities during years of fighting in Yemen, with support from Iran contributing to its access to advanced weapons technology.
The group has developed ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft capable of threatening military installations, shipping and civilian infrastructure across the region.
Its ability to carry out repeated attacks has created additional difficulties for Saudi Arabia as the kingdom attempts to protect its population while supporting Yemeni government forces fighting Houthi positions.
The latest strikes occurred as the Saudi government hosted a major international energy conference in Riyadh, attended by industry representatives and government officials.
The five-day WPC Energy conference opened Sunday despite the airport closure, with additional meetings involving international energy officials scheduled in the capital.
The gathering was intended to bring together representatives of petroleum producers, energy companies and governments to discuss global supply issues and developments affecting the industry.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom would continue pursuing its development and energy objectives despite the attacks.
“There is no way that somebody will break our back. We are like a phoenix, we come out of the ashes all the time,” he told conference participants.
The minister also said Saudi Arabia was working on additional pipeline infrastructure beyond its existing East-West pipeline, which had been attacked and temporarily closed during the previous month.
He did not provide further details about the proposed pipeline projects.
The attacks have complicated Saudi Arabia’s efforts to expand tourism, international investment and commercial activity under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s economic development plans.
Those initiatives involve reducing the kingdom’s reliance on oil revenue by attracting foreign businesses, developing entertainment and tourism industries and expanding transportation infrastructure.
Riyadh is expected to host additional high-profile international events, including an investment conference, but repeated attacks against civilian aviation could complicate travel arrangements and raise security concerns among potential visitors.
The disruptions have already affected government operations and public services.
Saudi authorities announced that schools in Riyadh would shift to remote instruction from Sunday through Thursday, affecting students, teachers and administrative staff across the capital.
International officials attending the energy conference also faced transportation difficulties because of the airport closure. Germany’s Economy Minister Katherina Reiche was among those whose planned departure arrangements were disrupted, prompting officials to examine alternative travel options.
The airport strikes have become part of a broader escalation in Yemen that followed the breakdown of a period of relative calm.
Saudi Arabia entered Yemen’s civil war in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and expanded their territorial control.
The conflict developed into a prolonged regional confrontation involving Saudi-led coalition forces, Houthi fighters and other Yemeni armed groups.
A ceasefire negotiated in 2022 reduced the intensity of fighting, although it did not produce a comprehensive political settlement.
The relative calm deteriorated in July 2026 when the Houthis resumed attacks, accusing Saudi forces of targeting Sanaa’s airport as an aircraft from Iran attempted to land.
The incident renewed longstanding disputes concerning restrictions on transportation, imports and movement into areas controlled by the rebels.
Saudi Arabia has maintained restrictions intended to prevent weapons shipments from reaching Houthi forces, while the movement has condemned those measures as a blockade that harms civilians and damages Yemen’s economy.
The Houthis now claim to have imposed their own restrictions on Saudi Arabia, including threats against aviation and maritime transportation.
The fighting has intensified around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where Yemeni government troops supported by Saudi air power have attempted to recover territory captured by Houthi forces.
Control of areas overlooking the waterway provides strategic advantages because missiles, drones and other weapons positioned near shipping routes can threaten commercial vessels.
Those concerns have become more urgent as the war involving Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, placing additional importance on alternative energy export routes.
The Houthis have warned that additional Saudi operations in Yemen could produce an even stronger military response.
In a statement carried by Houthi-run Al Masirah television, the movement’s Foreign Ministry threatened further escalation if Riyadh continued its campaign.
“Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, worse is yet to come, God willing,” the ministry said.
The Houthis also alleged that Saudi aircraft conducted 124 strikes across Yemen during a 24-hour period, including operations around Sanaa and the group’s northern stronghold of Saada.
Those claims had not been independently verified. Saudi officials did not immediately provide a detailed response to the reported number of strikes.
The violence has prompted warnings from international organizations concerned about the effect on civilians and the prospects for ending Yemen’s prolonged civil war.
United Nations special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg condemned the attack on Riyadh’s airport and called attention to the dangers associated with renewed escalation.
“These attacks represent a grave escalation,” Grundberg said in a statement following Saturday’s strike.
“Such actions pose a serious threat to regional security, perpetuate cycles of violence and complicate even more peace efforts for Yemen.”
The attacks have also drawn attention to the humanitarian consequences of fighting inside Yemen, where years of conflict have damaged infrastructure, displaced families and restricted access to essential services.
Civilian casualties reported in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen have increased concerns that the renewed campaign could reverse earlier progress toward reducing hostilities.
Ahmed Nagi, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Yemen, warned that the Houthis’ strategy of attacking high-profile Saudi infrastructure could produce consequences opposite to those intended.
“Rather than pushing Riyadh to step back, attacks on critical Saudi infrastructure could make the Saudis more determined to continue the campaign,” Nagi said.
His assessment reflects the possibility that repeated attacks against civilian facilities could strengthen Saudi support for continued military operations rather than encourage a withdrawal.
The developments also place additional pressure on Washington as the Trump administration weighs the consequences of deeper involvement in a regional conflict already affecting international energy supplies.
With the U.S. midterm elections approaching Nov. 3, the administration faces domestic concerns about military commitments, elevated fuel prices and the economic effects of instability in the Middle East.
Trump and Iranian officials have maintained that the American election timetable does not determine their decisions about the war, although the political and economic consequences remain subjects of debate in Washington.
The president has not announced whether American forces will join Saudi operations against the Houthis, and further decisions may depend on discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and assessments by U.S. military officials.
Meanwhile, the airport closure continues disrupting travel through Riyadh, and Saudi authorities are assessing damage from Sunday’s strike while investigating the broader series of attacks.
The confirmed death toll from Saturday’s missile strike has risen to 13 following the death of an Indian national who had been hospitalized with injuries. More than 300 other people were wounded, and authorities have not yet released a complete casualty count from Sunday’s additional attack.
With the Houthis threatening further operations against Saudi aviation and energy infrastructure, Riyadh’s military campaign in Yemen continuing and Washington considering direct intervention, the renewed attacks have added to concerns over civilian safety, international air travel and the security of major energy transportation routes across the Middle East.
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