Saudi authorities say 12 killed, more than 300 hurt in Riyadh airport attack

Saudi civil aviation authorities said an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured more than 300 others, making it the deadliest strike so far in the kingdom’s capital during a week of repeated attacks on the airport. Some of the wounded were in critical condition, and authorities said the airport temporarily suspended operations while damage and safety were assessed.

The attack added to mounting concern over the safety of civilian aviation in Saudi Arabia and across the region. Saudi officials said the casualties included nationals from multiple countries, while emergency teams and hospitals treated the injured. The kingdom’s civil aviation authority said the strike also caused property damage, though the extent was still being assessed.

Saudi Arabia has faced a series of cross-border attacks tied to the conflict in neighboring Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi movement has been battling Saudi-backed forces. In recent days, the airport in Riyadh had already been targeted several times, and earlier attacks on the same facility killed three Saudi citizens, according to Saudi officials.

Airport operations briefly halted after the strike

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the latest attack hit the King Khalid International Airport complex, including terminal areas used for domestic flights. Officials said the temporary suspension of operations was intended to give emergency crews and safety inspectors time to secure the site and verify conditions for passengers, staff and aviation infrastructure.

Saudi officials said the dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one person each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The authority said 309 people were injured, including several in serious condition, and that all were receiving medical treatment at hospitals.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis blamed the rebels for the attack, while the Houthis have previously claimed strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia. The latest violence came as fighting in Yemen escalated and regional tensions deepened, with the airport in Riyadh emerging as one of the conflict’s most visible flash points.