Houthi Attack on Saudi Airport Kills 14, Airlines Halt Flights to Riyadh

The Iran-backed Houthi insurgents of Yemen launched another string of drone and missile strikes against civilian airports in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, including a terrifying attack caught on security camera video that killed at least 14 people at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

One of the dead was reportedly an American citizen.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said over 300 people were injured by the attack on King Khalid International Airport, making it one of the bloodiest attacks the kingdom has suffered in over a decade.

Several other airports were targeted on Sunday, including the airport in the city of Dammam, with more casualties reported. GACA said at least 20 people have been killed and 356 injured in Houthi attacks on Saudi airports since last Tuesday.

Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said an “unknown projectile” caused the explosion and fire at Passenger Hall Number 4 of King Khalid International Airport. He said the fire was “directly handled by the competent authorities at the site.”

He added that the Coalition also “intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile” in the area near the airport.

The anti-Houthi coaltion denounced the Houthi attack as a “full-fledged war crime,” and promised the coalition would “respond decisively.”

President Donald Trump told reporters that the United States might join the Saudi coalition’s operation against the Houthis in the wake of the airport strike.

“We may. We’re gonna look at it. We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” Trump said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a U.S. citizen was killed by the Houthi attack.

“The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the terrorist Houthis, including today’s strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that took numerous innocent lives, including an American citizen,” Rubio said.

“These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now,” he added.

GACA said another victim killed by the Houthi attack was a “Pakistani resident.” The Indian embassy to Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that an Indian national injured by the attack had died from their injuries, and three other Indians were receiving intensive care for their wounds.

“We strongly condemn the repeated attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport over the past few days, including the dastardly attack on October 10, which have led to loss of lives, injuries and damage to property,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

“The repeated attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are completely unacceptable and must cease immediately,” the statement added.

According to Al Jazeera News, citizens of Bangladesh, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt were injured in the attack, along with a number of Palestinians.

The Houthi strike was denounced by Turkey and Pakistan, which are Saudi Arabia’s partners in the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement of August 2026, and also by Egypt, which joined the other three nations last year in an informal diplomatic coalition known as the R4.

“The Group holds the Houthi militia fully accountable for the results ​of these attacks and any repercussions that come with it that threaten regional and international peace and security, and demands the immediate and unconditional halt of these attacks,” the R4 said in a joint statement on Sunday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply shocked” by “Saturday’s lethal attack by the Houthis on King Khalid International Airport.”

Guterres “strongly condemned” the Houthis, and said “attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are a violation of international law.”

“These attacks must cease immediately,” he said.

The Houthis said their attacks were “guided by reciprocity” for Saudi actions in Yemen, and they consider Saudi airports and civilian infrastructure to be legitimate targets. The Houthi statement blamed the Saudis for the deaths and injuries at King Khalid Airport, because the Houthis warned in advance they would strike airports and told international air carriers to stop flying into Saudi Arabia.

“We urge everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions,” the Houthi statement said. “Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, worse is yet to come, God willing.”

The skies over Riyadh were empty on Monday morning, as numerous regional and international airlines canceled flights into the Saudi capital. GACA issued a notice on Monday that King Khalid International Airport will remain closed until October 17. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning for all airlines to exercise caution when flying through Saudi airspace.

Several airlines said they have canceled flights to Riyadh until October 17 or later, and Delta Airlines announced the debut of its new nonstop service from Atlanta to Riyadh would be delayed from October 23 until March 2027.

Fox News noted on Sunday that Iranian Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei threatened in September that Iran would begin threatening civilian airports across the region, if countries like Saudi Arabia continued to cooperate with the American blockade of Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly reached out to his Saudi counterpart on Sunday to offer Iran’s services as a “mediator” between the Saudis and the Houthis.