A missile launched by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels struck the passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday, wounding dozens of people. According to reports from Saudi Arabia, multiple casualties were recorded on site alongside extensive physical destruction inside the terminal. Concurrently, the Sabereen News agency, affiliated with pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, reported at least 10 fatalities. Saudi authorities have yet to issue an official response regarding the incident.
Video: Arab social media
A regional official told the Associated Press that a projectile directly impacted the passenger terminal. Eyewitnesses reported loud detonations reverberating across the capital and fleets of ambulances racing toward the airport compound. According to testimonies, numerous wounded individuals lay on the floor inside the facility as emergency rescue teams arrived in force. Following the strike, passengers were evacuated from large sections of the complex, and airport flight operations were heavily disrupted.
In the wake of the strike, inbound flights bound for Riyadh were diverted to alternate airfields while others were canceled outright. Kuwait Airways announced the immediate cancellation of all scheduled flights to and from Riyadh following the disruption at the capital’s primary airport. Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways likewise canceled numerous services to the destination. At the same time, the Canadian Embassy issued a travel advisory warning its citizens not to approach the airport because of heightened security tensions nearby.
Video: Arab social media
The strike marks the latest in a wave of attacks attributed to the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen against the Riyadh airport over the past week. Earlier strikes reportedly claimed the lives of Saudi nationals, including an airline pilot, and left others wounded. Previous reports noted that three Saudi citizens were killed in attacks on the airport two days prior, while other accounts pointed to four deaths and severe damage sustained by aircraft over the course of the week.
Video: Arab social media
The military escalation unfolds against the backdrop of Saudi-backed military actions in Yemen against the Houthis earlier this month. In retaliation, the Houthis issued warnings to international airlines against operating in Saudi airspace, declaring it an active military theater. The recurring barrages and operational threats have driven several international carriers to suspend or cancel flights to the Saudi capital.
Despite the deteriorating security environment and aviation disruptions, major energy and investment conferences scheduled to convene in Riyadh are still set to take place as planned, according to conference organizers. Official Saudi authorities have not yet released a definitive statement regarding the latest strike, and the ultimate casualty count remains unconfirmed as developments unfold.