Twelve people were killed and 309 injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, October 10, 2026, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), as the kingdom vowed a decisive response to the latest escalation in attacks blamed on Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The fatalities included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign residents: two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese national.
GACA said the injured, including people in critical condition, were receiving medical treatment at several hospitals. The attack also caused damage to airport property, with authorities assessing the extent of the destruction.
Airport operations were temporarily suspended following the incident while officials conducted damage assessments and safety inspections of the facilities.
The attack marked the third strike on the Riyadh aviation hub in a single week, amid an intensifying campaign against Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthis. The latest incident was described as the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a decade.
According to the account provided by Saudi authorities, the attack occurred without warning, and no alert was issued through the country’s threat warning system.
The two earlier attacks on King Khalid International Airport this week killed four people and caused extensive damage to a Saudi commercial aircraft parked on the tarmac.
Saudi-led coalition threatens retaliation
The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen condemned Saturday’s attack and pledged a strong response.
In a statement, the coalition described the strike on a passenger terminal as a terrorist attack that had killed and injured civilian passengers and airport employees. It said the incident constituted a war crime under customary international humanitarian law.
The coalition’s Joint Forces Command said it would respond decisively in accordance with international humanitarian law, describing the attack as an act that violated fundamental principles and values.
The latest violence has heightened concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure, particularly its airports, as attacks on the capital’s aviation facilities have continued.
Washington considers possible action
US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering whether to join Saudi military strikes against the Houthis following the airport attack.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said the administration had only recently learned of the latest incident and would assess its response. He added that the United States could act quickly once a decision was made.
Trump described the attack on King Khalid International Airport as “terrible” but did not confirm whether American forces would participate in any retaliatory operation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they demonstrated a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life.
The statements from Washington came as Saudi authorities assessed the damage and continued providing medical care to the injured.
The latest attack is likely to intensify pressure on Saudi Arabia and its partners to strengthen airport security and determine how to prevent further strikes on civilian facilities. Any military response could also raise the risk of a wider escalation involving the Houthis, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
