Saudi airport attack updates: 12 dead in Riyadh, Trump says US may join strikes on Houthis

At least 12 people died and 300 were hurt in the third attack this week on Riyadh's airport. The Houthis claimed the strike, and Trump says the US may join Saudi strikes.

5 min readOct 11, 2026 07:01 AM IST First published on: Oct 11, 2026 at 07:01 AM IST

Smoke and flames rise from King Khalid Airport, after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked the airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Reuters/ Representational image)

At least 12 people were killed and 300 others wounded on Saturday in the third attack this week on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Reuters reported, citing Saudi Arabia’s General Civil Aviation Authority.

Iran-backed Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack, in what is being called as a major step up in their campaign against Saudi Arabia. Those dead in the strikes include four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis, and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The attack came without warning, as Saudi Arabia’s threat warning system did not send an alert, according to Reuters. Two earlier attacks on the same airport this week killed four people and badly damaged a Saudi passenger plane parked on the tarmac. Hospitals were flooded with the wounded, who arrived by ambulance and helicopter, people briefed on the matter told Reuters, and some are in critical condition. All flights to Riyadh, a city of about 8 million people, were diverted or cancelled, and the airport suspended operations.

US President Donald Trump was asked outside the White House whether Washington would join Saudi strikes on the Houthis. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said, adding that the US would decide quickly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States strongly condemns the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition called the attack a “terrorist act” and said it would respond firmly.

The strikes expose gaps in Saudi air defences at a tense time. Saudi Arabia is running an air campaign against the Houthis in support of a ground offensive by the Yemeni government, which began on Monday. Riyadh is also due to host major energy and investment conferences soon, and the organisers said on Saturday that the events will go ahead as planned.

Story continues below this ad

What happened at the airport

In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s General Civil Aviation Authority said the attack on King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people and injured 309 others. It said all injured people were getting medical care at several hospitals and that the damage to property is still being assessed.

إلحاقي بشأن الاعتداء الذي استهدف مطار الملك خالد الدولي بالرياض. #_ https://t.co/JoAi69jwvp

— هيئة الطيران المدني (@ksagaca) October 10, 2026

An eyewitness at the airport told Reuters they saw an explosion and then many people lying hurt on the ground inside. A traveller who was hurt said something flew across the sky outside before part of the ceiling near a departure gate fell down. Reuters said a video it checked showed ambulances at the airport.

The head of the Houthi media office said on X that the group had “shut down Riyadh international airport”. The Houthis have told airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, which they call a zone of military operations, after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government launched its offensive against them.

Trump, Rubio and the coalition respond

Trump said his team had only just learned of the attack. “We move very quickly,” he said. He also said he thinks the Saudi attack is “a terrible thing”, according to a news flash.

‘I THINK IT’S TERRIBLE’ — Trump on HOUTHI ATTACK on RIYADH AIRPORT REPORTER: ‘Are you going to get the US involved?’ TRUMP: ‘Well… YOU’RE GOING TO FIND OUT! https://t.co/p3DigSwMzg

— RT (@RT_com) October 11, 2026

The US embassy in Riyadh said it was aware of the attacks and “strongly recommends” that US citizens avoid the airport and nearby areas. Other Western embassies gave similar advice.

The coalition’s spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, said the attack on a passenger terminal was a war crime under international humanitarian law. He said the coalition would respond in line with those rules. The coalition also said it destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region, intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile at Al-Kharj, southeast of Riyadh, and that a “projectile” fell near Dammam’s international airport.

Story continues below this ad

Why Saudi Arabia and the Houthis are fighting again

Saudi Arabia joined the Yemen war in 2015, leading an Arab coalition that tried to push the Houthis out of the capital, Sanaa. The Houthis had taken Sanaa a year earlier. The war ended in a bloody stalemate, with hundreds of thousands of Yemenis killed by fighting and famine. Riyadh struck a deal with the Houthis in 2022 that froze the conflict.

Reuters said the ceasefire broke down over the summer, and a fast Houthi advance took the Red Sea chokepoint of Bab el-Mandeb from government forces. The Yemeni government’s offensive this week to retake that ground has made slow gains, while the Houthis have put Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, under siege. Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government claim hundreds of strikes on Houthi-held areas. The Houthis say the strikes killed civilians, including women and children. Reuters could not check these claims.

The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More