Riyadh airport attack kills 12, wounds over 300, Saudi authorities say
An attack on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday, October 10, killed 12 people and wounded more than 300, Saudi authorities said, according to the Associated Press. Some of the injured are in critical condition.
The dead include four Saudi citizens. The others are two Bangladeshis, and one each from Palestine, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan, the Saudi statement said.
A missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4, used for domestic flights, a regional official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. The Houthis had claimed earlier attacks this week on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. The rebels made no immediate statement on Saturday’s attack. They had earlier accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.
Saudi civil aviation authorities suspended operations at the airport through midnight. They said the extent of injuries and damage was being assessed. Police blocked all entrances and lights around the complex were dimmed. Flights were diverted elsewhere. The United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned their citizens to avoid the airport.
US President Donald Trump said he was weighing whether the US should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said. He added that a decision would come quickly.
The attacks have come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive against the Houthis in Yemen. Other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure have also been hit. The Houthis have gained ground along the Red Sea. That gives them better surveillance of a shipping corridor that is a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships. The Houthis say they are targeting only Saudi shipping, as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them.
Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors, regional officials told the Associated Press last month. The kingdom has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt for air defence support. Officials said US assistance has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the offensive.
Flights are being disrupted. At least 291 flights at Riyadh airport were cancelled in the past 24 hours, according to FlightAware. Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines had suspended flights to and from Saudi airports for varying periods before the latest attack. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency warned that missile and drone attacks and interceptions raise the risk of misidentifying civil aircraft.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister spoke by phone with his Omani counterpart about supporting diplomatic solutions to ease tensions. Saudi authorities have also warned the public that filming or sharing information on missile and drone impact sites carries legal liability. A major energy conference is still due to begin in Riyadh on Sunday.
