Deadly strike hits Riyadh's King Khalid Airport, killing 12 and injuring over 300
A missile attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people, including an American citizen, and injured 309, prompting the airport's closure and international flight cancellations.
At least 12 people, among them one American, were killed and 309 injured when a missile struck Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, Saudi officials said. The casualties included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis and one each from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Several of the injured remain in critical condition and are being treated at multiple hospitals.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that airport operations were suspended through midnight, with all entrances blocked and lighting dimmed around the terminal complex. Flights were diverted to other airports, and more than 290 flights were canceled within 24 hours, according to flight-tracking data.
A Saudi-led coalition in Yemen attributed the attack to the Houthi rebels, who have not formally claimed responsibility for this strike. Earlier in the week the Houthis announced attacks on the same airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. The latest strike hit the area housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights, a regional official said on condition of anonymity.
President Trump said the United States was reviewing whether to join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, stating, "We may. We're gonna look at it. We just found out about the recent attack [on the airport]. So we'll make a decision — we move very quickly."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on social media that the United States "strongly condemns the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the terrorist Houthis, including today's strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that took numerous innocent lives, including an American citizen."
A State Department spokesperson told CBS News that the Trump administration is in close contact with its Saudi partners. United Nations special envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg described the strike as a "dangerous escalation" that poses a grave threat to regional security.
The surge in attacks follows a Saudi-led coalition offensive against the Houthis in Yemen and has raised concerns about broader threats to aviation infrastructure. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency warned that Houthi capabilities now allow strikes deeper inside Saudi territory, increasing the risk of misidentifying civil aircraft.
Airlines from the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada have advised citizens to avoid the airport, and several carriers, including Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines, have suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia.