A missile strike on Saturday at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people, including one American, and wounded more than 300 others, Saudi officials confirmed. The attack marks another escalation in the Iran-backed Houthi war against the Saudi kingdom.
Who were the victims of the Saudi airport attack?
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation identified the dead as four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Hospitals across Riyadh are treating 309 wounded, with several in critical condition.
Will the U.S. join Saudi strikes against the Houthis?
President Trump said the U.S. is weighing whether to join Saudi military action against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
We may. We're gonna look at it. We just found out about the recent attack [on the airport]. So we'll make a decision, we move very quickly.A State Department spokesperson condemned the Houthi terrorist attacks against civilian infrastructure and airports and confirmed close contact with Saudi partners.
Riyadh airport operations suspended after strike
Saudi civil aviation suspended all airport operations through midnight. Police blocked all entrances and dimmed lights around the complex. Flightradar24 showed flights diverted elsewhere. The U.S., Britain, Germany, Australia, and Canada all warned citizens to avoid the airport.
The missile hit a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights, a regional official said. The Houthis have not claimed Saturday's strike, but they did claim attacks earlier this week that killed three Saudis, including a pilot.
Houthi attacks surge after Saudi-led offensive
The attacks come one week after the Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. The rebels have targeted other Saudi airports, military facilities, and oil infrastructure. They also accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.
Flight disruptions grow across the region
At least 291 flights at Riyadh airport were canceled in the past 24 hours, according to FlightAware. Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group, and Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to and from Saudi airports. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded its guidance, warning that missile and drone attacks create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft.
Two regional officials said Houthi attacks on Thursday damaged three planes at Riyadh airport. Saudi national carrier confirmed one aircraft was damaged on the ground with no passengers aboard.
The Houthis warned global airlines for the last time about operating in Saudi airspace, calling it a theater for their military operations. The attacks on the world's top oil exporter have rattled markets, yet the Saudi energy ministry is still promoting a major international energy conference set to begin Sunday in Riyadh.
Why are the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia?
The Houthis claim they are targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them. They previously attacked ships after the Gaza war began, calling it solidarity with Palestinians. A U.S. bombing campaign sharply limited those attacks, but the new front in the Iran war keeps expanding.
What happens next in the Saudi-Houthi conflict?
The fighting in Yemen has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces trying to reverse Houthi gains along the Red Sea. Those gains gave rebels better surveillance of shipping on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz where Iran has been attacking ships. President Trump's decision on U.S. involvement could reshape the conflict.