A Riyadh airport strike killed 12 and injured 309, Saudi authorities said.
Why it matters: The reported strike escalates pressure on Washington to move beyond defensive operations against the Houthis. Any direct U.S. action could broaden the conflict and disrupt civilian aviation.
- <a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-yemen-houthi-riyadh-airport-f0e0e6105f33400e37bb20bb9a8130af">Saudi authorities reported</a> 12 deaths and 309 injuries at King Khalid International Airport on October 10, 2026.
- The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-yemen-houthi-riyadh-airport-f0e0e6105f33400e37bb20bb9a8130af">Associated Press report</a>.
- Saudi Arabia and its coalition attributed the attack to the Iran-backed Houthis, who had not immediately claimed responsibility, AP reported.
- President Donald Trump said the U.S. was considering joining Saudi military action against the Houthis.
A strike hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, October 10, 2026, killing 12 people and wounding 309, according to Saudi authorities as reported by The Associated Press. Airport operations were temporarily suspended while officials assessed the damage. Al Jazeera also reported the attack and injuries.
The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals: two Bangladeshis and one citizen each of the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Sudan, AP reported. The strike reportedly hit a complex housing Terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights. That terminal detail came from a single anonymous source and remains unconfirmed.
Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-led coalition blamed the Iran-backed Houthi movement and called the attack a war crime. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki described it as a “full-fledged war crime.” The Houthis had not immediately claimed responsibility.
Trump said the United States was considering joining Saudi military action against the Houthis. “We may. We're going to look at it,” Trump said, adding: “What happened in Saudi Arabia is not acceptable.” The U.S. has previously reported defensive strikes against Houthi weapons and infrastructure in response to threats against American forces in and around the Red Sea, according to a White House document.
The airport strike followed earlier attacks on Saudi aviation infrastructure. Those incidents reportedly killed three people and injured 36, according to AP. The sequence raises the prospect of wider aviation disruption, though the sources do not establish broader effects on shipping or energy infrastructure.
By the numbers
- 12 - people reportedly killed in the October 10, 2026, Riyadh airport strike, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-yemen-houthi-riyadh-airport-f0e0e6105f33400e37bb20bb9a8130af">AP</a>
- 309 - people reportedly injured in the same strike, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-yemen-houthi-riyadh-airport-f0e0e6105f33400e37bb20bb9a8130af">AP</a>
- 4 and 8 - Saudi citizens and foreign nationals, respectively, among the reported dead, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-yemen-houthi-riyadh-airport-f0e0e6105f33400e37bb20bb9a8130af">AP</a>
Yes, but: The Houthi attribution was not immediately accompanied by a claim of responsibility, and the reported terminal location came from one anonymous source.