Riyadh, October 12 — The Houthi movement launched a deadly attack on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh international airport on Saturday, killing at least twelve people and wounding three hundred others, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. The assault marked the third strike on the airport that week and was described by Saudi officials as the deadliest on the kingdom in over a decade. Victims included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi citizens, and one individual each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt.
The attack occurred amid intensified fighting in Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis are engaged in conflict with forces loyal to the internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition conducting air operations against Houthi positions. Global leaders issued widespread condemnation.
U.S. President Donald Trump called the attack ‘terrible’ and said he would soon speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, adding that the U.S. was evaluating whether to join Saudi Arabia’s offensive against the Houthis. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed an American was killed and urged an end to ‘these reprehensible attacks,’ stating the U.S. stands with Saudi Arabia.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was ‘deeply shocked’ and strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing that strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law and must stop immediately. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the attack on civilian airports represented a ‘grave escalation’ that threatens regional security and undermines peace efforts.
Additional condemnations came from Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Syria, India, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, and Australia, with leaders expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia and rejecting attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure as unacceptable under international law. The attack underscored the growing regional spillover of the Yemen conflict, particularly targeting critical civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
