October 11, 2026 — A missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 on Saturday afternoon, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed, in the deadliest of three Houthi attacks on the airport in a single week and one of the most serious strikes on Saudi civilian infrastructure in recent years.
The dead included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one national each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, according to reports. The multinational toll underscores the airport’s role as one of the region’s busiest international hubs, serving travelers from across the Middle East, South Asia and beyond.
A Houthi media official claimed responsibility for the strike, the third on the airport in seven days. An October 7 attack killed one person and injured eight, while a Thursday strike killed three people, including a Saudia pilot. The accelerating tempo of the attacks marks a sharp escalation in the Houthis’ campaign against Saudi targets.
Flight operations were suspended in the aftermath. As of 5:34 a.m. Saudi time on Sunday, 271 departing flights — 73 percent of the schedule — had been cancelled, according to Flightradar24 data cited in reports. The US embassy advised Americans to avoid the airport area, and Canada, Germany and Spain issued similar warnings to their citizens.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the death of the American national and condemned the attack. President Trump said the United States may join Saudi strikes against the Houthis in response. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said, according to reports. Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the attacks would not go unpunished.
The strike lands just weeks before Riyadh is due to host a series of major international summits, including the Future Investment Initiative from October 26 to 29, raising questions about security preparations for the high-profile gatherings. Authorities have not said when full flight operations will resume, and the situation remains developing.
