Saudi Arabia has threatened a forceful response against Yemen’s Houthi rebels following a reported attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that left 12 people dead and more than 300 others injured.
The reported attack on Sunday, October 11, 2026, is said to be the deadliest assault on Saudi territory in more than a decade, heightening fears of renewed violence across the Middle East.
The Saudi-led coalition accused the Iran-backed Houthi movement of carrying out the strike, describing it as a “full-fledged war crime”. A diplomatic source cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP) said a missile was responsible for the attack.
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The incident comes amid an escalation in Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia following the breakdown of a four-year United Nations-brokered truce in Yemen in July.
Foreign Nationals Among Those Killed
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority confirmed that 12 people died in the incident. The victims reportedly included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.
The authority also reported that 309 people sustained injuries, with some requiring urgent medical attention.
A passenger who spoke to AFP said the strike occurred near the airport’s domestic terminal, sending travellers into a panic as people attempted to escape the affected area.
“I was on gate 403. I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running,” the passenger said.
Airport operations were suspended following the incident while officials assessed the damage and responded to the emergency.
Health authorities also mobilised additional medical personnel to treat the injured. According to two doctors who spoke to AFP, some of those affected were pilgrims travelling to Mecca.
Meanwhile, schools across Riyadh were directed to adopt remote learning for the entire week. The move marked the second time within a month that authorities had ordered a similar arrangement amid security concerns.
Saudi-Led Coalition Warns of Retaliation
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki condemned the reported attack, accusing the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and airport workers.
In a statement shared on X, al-Malki described the incident as a terrorist attack and a “full-fledged war crime”.
The coalition had previously announced that it intercepted missiles aimed at Saudi Arabia and destroyed launch platforms allegedly linked to the attacks.
The Houthis had claimed responsibility for a series of strikes targeting the airport on Thursday. Those attacks reportedly killed three people and damaged an aircraft. However, the group had not immediately claimed responsibility for the latest reported incident.
The attack is being described as the deadliest on Saudi soil since May 2015, when a suicide bombing attributed to the Islamic State militant group killed 21 worshippers at a Shia mosque in Qatif, in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has been militarily involved in Yemen’s conflict since 2015, supporting the internationally recognised government against the Houthi movement as part of a regional coalition.
The collapse of the truce has raised concerns that renewed fighting could intensify and spread beyond Yemen’s borders.
Trump Says US Could Consider Military Action
US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington may consider participating in military operations against the Houthis.
Asked on Saturday whether he had reconsidered his position on joining Saudi strikes against the group, Trump replied, “We may.”
The US president also said he intended to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, describing the reported attack as “not acceptable”.
However, media reports in the United States have suggested that previous Saudi requests for American military assistance against the Houthis were rejected.
The United States, Canada, Germany and Spain have also advised their citizens in Saudi Arabia to stay away from the airport.
A senior Western diplomat told AFP that several embassies were limiting staff members’ use of the facility over the coming week.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security under the two countries’ defence agreement.
Fighting Escalates Near Bab al-Mandab Strait
The reported airport strike comes as forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government make advances against the Houthis around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Military sources told AFP that government forces were recovering ground in areas captured by the Houthis the previous month.
Yemen’s government announced a counter-offensive last week aimed at reclaiming territories controlled by the rebel group.
The Houthis acknowledged that government forces had launched operations in the Bab al-Mandab area but claimed their fighters had repelled the attacks.
The strait is an important corridor for international trade, including cargo and energy shipments. Any further escalation could threaten commercial shipping, increase transportation costs and create additional uncertainty in global markets.
However, reports from the conflict zone remain difficult to verify independently because of rapidly changing conditions and limited access for journalists.
The latest violence also comes ahead of Saudi Arabia’s major convention and entertainment season, which includes prominent events and an investment conference expected to draw international leaders and business executives.
