Houthi Missile Strikes Kill 14 at Riyadh International Airport

The Houthis, an Iran-backed militant group in Yemen, launched a series of missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabian aviation infrastructure between October 6 and 12, 2026. The most severe strike occurred on Saturday, October 10, targeting Terminals 3 and 4 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. This attack killed 12 to 13 people—including citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United States, Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Sudan—and injured over 300 others. A subsequent strike on Sunday killed one Pakistani national and caused a fire at the airport.

Saudi authorities suspended airport operations, leading to the cancellation of over 1,000 flights and the shift of Riyadh schools to remote learning. The Saudi-led coalition characterized the assaults as a "full-fledged war crime." In response, Saudi forces launched retaliatory airstrikes across Houthi-held regions of Yemen, including Sanaa International Airport, as part of "Operation Dawn of Yemen," a major offensive to recapture the capital and the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.

President Donald Trump condemned the attacks as "not acceptable" and stated the United States is evaluating whether to join Saudi military strikes against the rebels. This potential intervention follows the death of an American citizen in the Riyadh attack. Internationally, the United Nations, European Union, and several Asian nations condemned the strikes. Meanwhile, Iran expressed concern over the escalation and offered to facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis to prevent a wider regional war.