Attack on Saudi airport leaves 12 dead, dozens wounded

Deadly Strike Shuts Down Riyadh Airport as Regional Tensions Intensify

Healfromzero.com – A third strike in one week on Riyadh’s international airport killed 12 people on Saturday and injured dozens more, forcing the temporary suspension of operations at Saudi Arabia’s busiest air hub. Flights were diverted or canceled as emergency crews rushed casualties from the airport, while several Western governments advised their citizens to stay away from the facility and nearby areas.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the latest incident. However, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has intensified missile attacks against Saudi Arabia and had claimed responsibility for the two earlier airport strikes this week. The attacks have raised new concerns about Saudi Arabia’s ability to shield critical civilian infrastructure while it continues an air campaign against the Houthis in support of Yemeni government forces on the ground.

Casualty Figure May Rise

Three people familiar with the situation said the death toll had reached 12, though they cautioned that the total was preliminary. Two Western officials were among those briefed on the situation. Saudi authorities had not issued an official casualty count, and the government’s media office did not immediately answer questions about the attack.

The strike came without advance warning, with Saudi Arabia’s threat-alert system not issuing a public alert beforehand. Ambulances and helicopters transported wounded people to hospitals, and some victims were in critical condition.

An eyewitness inside the airport described an explosion followed by the sight of several injured people on the ground. More than a dozen ambulances were seen heading toward the complex. Video from the scene showed emergency vehicles positioned at the airport.

One injured traveler said an object appeared to move across the sky outside the airport before part of a ceiling near a departure gate collapsed. The account highlighted the apparent impact on the passenger area as travelers and airport staff faced the immediate aftermath.

Flights Diverted and Carriers Cancel Services

Saudi civil aviation authorities said airport activity was temporarily halted. Riyadh’s airport serves a metropolitan area with roughly 8 million residents and is a major connection point for domestic and international travel.

Flight-tracking data showed inbound flights being rerouted or canceled after the strike. At one stage, only a helicopter was visible over the airport. Kuwait Airways canceled services to and from Riyadh, citing the airport closure and the security situation.

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways had already called off multiple flights between their hubs and the Saudi capital, with some cancellations continuing into Monday. Other airlines had begun reducing or suspending Riyadh services after attacks earlier in the week, creating disruption as the city prepares to host major energy and investment gatherings.

Organizers of those events said Saturday that the conferences would proceed and sought to reassure participants about security arrangements. The airport disruption nevertheless underlined the practical consequences of the escalating conflict for travel, business activity and international visitors.

Embassies Issue Security Warnings

The United States Embassy in Riyadh said it was aware of the attacks and urged American citizens to avoid the airport and surrounding areas.

“Strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.”

The British and Irish embassies also said they were aware of a serious incident at the airport. Canada’s embassy said ongoing military activity had affected airport operations.

The Houthi military spokesperson reposted an earlier message after the attack, stating that only pre-approved humanitarian flights could land at Riyadh airport. The post ended with the words:

“a reminder.”

Pressure Builds in Yemen Conflict

The attacks come amid an increasingly volatile phase of the conflict between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and the Houthis. The Saudi-led military effort has supported the Yemeni government’s campaign against the Iran-backed group, while the Houthis have sought to extend pressure beyond Yemen through strikes aimed at Saudi territory.

Earlier attacks this week killed four people and severely damaged a Saudi commercial aircraft. The repeated strikes have made Riyadh airport a focal point of the confrontation and highlighted risks facing civilian aviation in the region.

The Houthis have told airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, describing it as an area of military operations after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government began an offensive against the group earlier this month. Such warnings have added to uncertainty for carriers already navigating a rapidly changing security environment.

As Riyadh faces attacks, the Saudi-backed side has also suffered setbacks inside Yemen. Houthi forces have tightened their siege of Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city. At the same time, Saudi and Yemeni authorities said they had retaken Bab el-Mandeb, a strategically important maritime passage that the Houthis seized during a rapid offensive last month.

Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, making control of the area significant for maritime traffic. The competing developments around Taiz and the strait illustrate how the conflict is unfolding simultaneously across Yemen’s cities, border regions and key transport routes.

Washington Weighs Its Response

US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering whether to join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said the administration had only recently learned of the latest airport attack.

“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.

With the casualty count still subject to change and Riyadh airport operations disrupted, the incident has intensified scrutiny of regional security and the possibility of a broader international response. Authorities, airlines and foreign embassies continued to monitor developments as travelers faced cancellations and diversions across the Saudi capital.