Riyadh airport attack kills 12, wounds 300+: Saudi aviation authorities
An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday killed 12 people and wounded more than 300 others, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities.
Casualties and Nationalities at Riyadh Airport
The dead included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, one U.S. citizen, one Jordanian, one Palestinian, one Syrian, one Sudanese, and one Egyptian, the Saudi civil aviation authority stated. The Saudi civil aviation authority stated that the attack was the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade. A regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights, leaving some of the wounded in critical condition. Footage analyzed by The Associated Press showed emergency vehicles stationed outside the facility.
Saudi Coalition Blames Houthi Rebels for Airport Attacks
The latest strike followed earlier attacks during the week on the Riyadh airport that killed three people, including a pilot. The Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen for the bombardment, labeling it a fully-fledged war crime and vowing a firm response.
World Leaders Condemn Strikes as US Evaluates Response
United States President Donald Trump described the attack as terrible and stated that he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Houthi rebels. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed an American citizen died in the strike and called for an end to the attacks. United Nations special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg characterized the strikes on civilian airports as a grave escalation that threatens regional security. Additional condemnations arrived from the foreign ministries of Egypt, Qatar, and Palestine, alongside a statement from the Japanese embassy in Saudi Arabia.
Airlines Suspend Flights to the Kingdom
Airlines including Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group, and Pakistan International Airlines suspended routes to and from the kingdom.
Whether regional diplomacy led by mediators such as Oman will alter the military trajectory, or if the United States will intervene directly in the escalating conflict, remains unconfirmed by officials.