Riyadh airport struck mid-boarding: Footage shows Umrah pilgrims trapped as projectile hits T4

Exclusive footage from Al Arabiya English shows Umrah pilgrims getting ready to board their flights as the Houthi attack hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

4 min readOct 12, 2026 05:26 AM IST First published on: Oct 12, 2026 at 05:22 AM IST

People gather outside a metro station on the road to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: AP)

A projectile hit Terminal 4 of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday and started a fire, a day after a strike on the same airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, according to Reuters. Saudi-led coalition forces said an unidentified projectile caused the fire, and the Saudi civil aviation authority said an unspecified number of people were injured. Later on Sunday, the authority confirmed a strike on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the Eastern Province.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for the Saturday attack on Riyadh, and say they also hit Dammam airport and two Saudi Aramco facilities. Exclusive footage obtained by Al Arabiya English shows Umrah pilgrims preparing to board their flights as the Houthi attack struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The airport stayed closed on Sunday, and Britain and the US have issued travel warnings.

🔴 Exclusive footage obtained by Al Arabiya English shows Umrah pilgrims preparing to board their flights as the Houthi attack struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. https://t.co/N2o6Wylf06

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 11, 2026

What happened on Sunday

The coalition said Saudi air defences intercepted a cruise missile near King Khalid International Airport. It later said a drone had been intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Province. The civil aviation authority said it was still checking the damage at Terminal 4.

At Dammam, an eyewitness on a taxiing aircraft told Reuters that at about 8:30pm local time (1730 GMT), a projectile hit the tarmac beside several parked aircraft and caused a fire. The aircraft returned to the gate, and passengers got off and were told to leave. Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 showed several delays and cancellations at Dammam, which is the kingdom’s third-largest airport. The civil aviation authority said damage checks and safety inspections were under way.

Houthi claims and warnings

In a televised speech on Sunday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the Saturday attack on Riyadh. He said the group also struck Dammam airport and two Aramco facilities. Saudi Arabia’s government media office and Aramco did not reply to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Earlier on Sunday, the Houthis renewed their warning against using Saudi airports. The group said Saudi Arabia “bears responsibility for any failed interceptions”, Reuters reports.

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Travel warnings and events in Riyadh

Britain’s embassy in Saudi Arabia advised British citizens against all but essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and all airports in the kingdom except the one in Medina. US aviation authorities told US airlines to take care when flying to or over Saudi Arabia. A Saudi ministry said conferences in Riyadh are going ahead despite the attacks.

The Saudi-led coalition has been running an air campaign against the Houthis, who are fighting a ground war in Yemen against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. Reuters says the strikes have exposed gaps in Saudi defences. Fighting is also under way between the Houthis and Yemeni government troops for the city of Taiz.

Saudi state television released footage of the Saturday attack on Riyadh airport. It showed scores of pilgrims lined up at a gate for flights to Islam’s two holiest sites. A bright orange flash sent people running, and parts of the roof appeared to fall in. The Saudi Gazette says the strike put pilgrims and families at risk and has called for those responsible to be held to account.

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority gave an earlier toll of 12 dead and 309 wounded for Saturday’s attack, according to Al Jazeera. Reuters now puts the number of dead at 13.

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