Houthi Missile Strikes on Riyadh Airport Kill at Least 12, Prompt Follow-Up Attacks and Saudi Retaliation Warnings

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels carried out a series of ballistic missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh in early October 2026, with the deadliest strike on October 10 killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300 others. Saudi authorities identified victims including four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt; an Indian national later died from injuries, raising the toll in some reports.[1][2]

The October 10 attack, the third on the airport that week, struck a terminal complex for domestic flights, leading to the suspension of operations, flight diversions, and the shift of Riyadh schools to online learning. A follow-up projectile strike on October 11 caused a fire in Terminal 4, resulting in additional injuries, while Saudi officials also reported an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.[3][4]

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, framing the strikes as retaliation for Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen, including alleged attacks on civilian sites. The group warned airlines and travelers against using Saudi airspace. Saudi authorities described the attacks as war crimes and vowed a decisive response, amid questions about the effectiveness of Western-supplied air defenses.[1]

The incidents mark the deadliest attacks on Gulf Arab soil since the broader Iran-related conflict escalated earlier in 2026. They have disrupted Riyadh's aviation ambitions and highlighted the spillover from the Yemen war, where a Saudi-supported Yemeni government offensive against the Houthis has intensified.[5]