Saudi Arabia Shuts Riyadh Airport After New Missile Attack Wounds Several
King Khalid International Airport suspended all operations on Saturday after missiles struck a terminal, the third attack on Saudi airports in three days.
Key points
- **Updated 19:35 UTC.**
- The official casualty count stood at "several" wounded on Saturday evening.
- Condemnations widened across the region.
**Updated 19:35 UTC.**
The official casualty count stood at "several" wounded on Saturday evening. Saudi authorities had not confirmed the higher tallies circulating from unnamed hospital sources, which put the number much higher.
Condemnations widened across the region. Egypt's foreign ministry called the attack a violation of international law and declared full solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
The flight disruption also grew through the evening. Kuwait Airways canceled two Riyadh flights, KU775 and KU776, while Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways canceled several more. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had already broadened its warning against flying over Saudi airspace as Houthi missile and drone attacks escalated.
RIYADH - Saudi Arabia closed its airport in the capital on Saturday after a missile attack struck a passenger terminal and wounded several people, the country's civil aviation authority said.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation said King Khalid International Airport was targeted and that "several" people were hurt. The airport suspended operations while crews assess the damage and inspect facilities, the authority said.
Terminal 3 took a direct hit and was evacuated, Saudi officials told the Wall Street Journal. Ambulances and helicopters rushed the wounded to a hospital in the capital as smoke rose over the airfield. People near the airport reported hearing loud blasts.
A witness described an explosion inside the terminal. One injured traveler told Reuters he saw something fly across the sky outside the airport, then part of the ceiling near a departure gate collapsed.
Flight tracking showed arrivals canceled or diverted. One passenger flying to Riyadh said his plane was sent to Dammam instead, and he continued to the capital by road.
Embassies warn travelers
The United States embassy said it was aware of attacks and told Americans to avoid the airport and the surrounding areas. Canada, Germany, Ireland, and Britain also warned their citizens to stay away, with Canada pointing to military activity disrupting flights.
No claim, but a clear pattern
No group immediately claimed responsibility. The attack landed in the middle of a widening campaign of Houthi missile strikes against Saudi airports, military sites, and oil facilities. The Iran-aligned Yemeni group said this week that Saudi airspace is now part of the battlefield.
The strike followed Thursday's attack on the same airport, which killed three people, including a pilot for the flag carrier Saudia, and destroyed a parked passenger jet. Saudi Arabia's early warning system gave no alert ahead of Saturday's strike.
President Donald Trump, speaking outside the White House on Saturday, said the United States was weighing whether to join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. "We may. We're going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we'll make a decision. We move very quickly," he said.
What it means
The repeated strikes threaten to choke business travel and tourism in the kingdom just as the busy conference season begins. Oil prices also jumped after the earlier attacks, adding energy-market pressure to the security crisis.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Timeline
- Oct 8, 2026Houthi-claimed attack on King Khalid International Airport kills three people, including a Saudia pilot, and destroys a parked passenger jet.
- Oct 10, 2026Missile attack strikes Terminal 3 of the same airport; several people wounded and all operations suspended.
- Oct 10, 2026 (evening)Egypt condemned the attack as a violation of international law; Kuwait Airways, Etihad and Qatar Airways canceled Riyadh flights as the airport stayed closed.
Sources
- CNN: Multiple people wounded in attack on Riyadh airport, Saudi aviation authority says
- Wall Street Journal: Saudi Arabia Closes Airport in Riyadh After Damaging New Houthi Attack
- Reuters: Several wounded in Riyadh airport attack, operations suspended, Saudi aviation authority says
- Gulf Business: Riyadh airport suspends operations after new attack leaves several injured
- Daily Kiran: Egypt condemns attack on Riyadh airport as violation of international law