An attack targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The incident resulted in multiple injuries and forced the complete suspension of flight operations. The country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed the event, stating that facilities were temporarily closed while authorities assessed the structural damage and verified terminal safety.
Details of the Attack and Casualties
According to reports from the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse (AFP), a missile struck Terminal 3. A local medical source reported that emergency room doctors were called to hospitals across Riyadh to handle a serious emergency situation, with dozens of people wounded. At least five injured individuals were admitted to intensive care units, and some patients required transport by helicopter.
Witnesses at the airport described hearing an abrupt explosion while waiting to board flights, which immediately triggered emergency evacuations. Authorities urged all passengers to check their flight statuses directly with airlines before heading to the airport.
Regional Context and Escalation
The incident occurs amid a sharp escalation of missile and drone attacks directed at Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Reuters reported that King Khalid International Airport had already been targeted twice earlier in the week, resulting in four deaths and significant aircraft damage. This multi-year conflict intensified following the breakdown of a regional peace deal in July and a recent counter-offensive launched by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to reclaim strategic territories around the Bab al-Mandab strait.
While the Houthis have continued launching strikes across the border, there was no immediate official statement of responsibility from the group regarding Saturday’s specific blast.
International Response and Flight Disruptions
Following the attack, several Western embassies in Riyadh-including those of the United States, Germany, Canada, and Spain-issued urgent advisories instructing their citizens to avoid the airport and monitor local security updates. The Spanish embassy explicitly referred to the incident on social media as a “new attack,” while the Canadian embassy warned of ongoing military activity in the capital.
When questioned by reporters at the White House regarding the escalation, United States President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. administration would quickly decide whether to support or join Saudi strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
Airlines immediately adjusted their schedules in response to the security threat. Major carriers, including Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Kuwait Airways, canceled multiple flights between their regional hubs and Riyadh, with several cancellations extending into the following Monday.
