12 killed, 309 Injured in attack on Riyadh airport; operations suspended

At least 12 people were killed and 309 others injured in an attack by the Houthi group targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, October 10, prompting the temporary suspension of airport operations as Saudi authorities assess the damage and verify the safety of the facility.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), in a statement, confirmed that the fatalities included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals from Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The victims comprised two Bangladeshi nationals and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, according to the authority.

GACA said 309 people were injured in the attack, including some who sustained critical injuries. All injured individuals are receiving medical treatment at several hospitals, while authorities continue to assess the extent of the damage to airport infrastructure and other property.

The authority expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The attacks are believed to be by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group has ramped up its attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, targeting Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushayt, Jazan and Najran.

Airport operations suspended 

In its initial statement, GACA said King Khalid International Airport came under attack on Saturday afternoon, resulting in injuries whose extent was initially being assessed.

The authority subsequently confirmed the death toll and updated the number of injured, while announcing that airport operations had been temporarily suspended pending a comprehensive damage assessment and verification of the safety of airport facilities.

The suspension is being coordinated with the relevant authorities, GACA said, adding that further updates would be issued as more information becomes available.

The incident comes amid what Saudi aviation authorities described as continued attacks targeting civil aviation facilities in the Kingdom.

The suspension has also disrupted air travel, prompting the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue guidance for citizens affected by cancelled, suspended or delayed flights to Riyadh.

Other aerial threats

Separately, Major General Turki Al-Malki, the official spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, announced several incidents involving aerial threats and projectiles in different parts of Saudi Arabia.

Al-Malki said a projectile fell in the vicinity of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the Kingdom's Eastern Province. The statement did not specify the extent of any damage or whether the incident resulted in casualties.

In a separate announcement, the coalition spokesperson said an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had been intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Region.

Al-Malki also reported that a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia had been intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj Governorate.

Foreign Ministry issues travel advisory

Following the disruption to flights at Riyadh's main international airport, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged citizens whose travel plans had been affected to seek assistance from Saudi diplomatic missions.

The ministry advised Saudi nationals who had been unable to reach their intended destinations because of suspended or delayed flights to contact the Kingdom's embassies and consulates in the countries where they are currently located.

The diplomatic missions are expected to provide assistance and guidance to affected travellers as authorities address the consequences of the airport disruption.

At least 291 flights at the Riyadh airport had been cancelled over the past 24 hours, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Before the latest attack, Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines were among airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for varying periods.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a “greater focus on aviation infrastructure.”

The attack comes after three people, including a Saudia pilot, were killed on Thursday in strikes on the airport by Houthi militants in Yemen.

Another attack on KKIA on Wednesday killed a Sudanese man, and a day earlier two women were killed when the militants hit Abha International Airport in Asir province.

The attacks have drawn widespread international condemnation, with calls for the Iran-backed group to stop targeting civilian infrastructure.