Houthi Strike on Riyadh Airport Kills 12, Wounds Over 300

A rocket struck the domestic terminals of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, killing 12 people and wounding over 300, Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed. The victims included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis, one Palestinian, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian and one Sudanese citizen, with several of the wounded in critical condition.

Deadliest Gulf Attack Since the Conflict Escalated

Saudi and U.S. officials attributed the strike to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants, though no group claimed responsibility immediately. It was the deadliest attack in any Gulf Arab country since fighting intensified after the Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive against the Houthis. The projectile hit the area around terminals 3 and 4, used for domestic flights. Authorities halted airport operations until midnight and flights were diverted to other airports, with countries including the U.S., Britain and Germany advising citizens to avoid the airport.

Trump Weighs U.S. Involvement

Shortly after the attack, President Donald Trump said he was considering whether the United States should join Saudi Arabia’s strikes against the Houthis. “Maybe. We’ll look at that,” he said. “We just heard about this attack. So we’ll make a decision. We act very fast.”

Saudi Arabia has been running low on interceptor missiles and has approached France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt for air-defense support.

A Week of Escalating Strikes

Saturday’s attack follows a wave of Houthi strikes on Saudi territory this week, including earlier hits on two southern Saudi airports. Late Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition reported a projectile near King Fahd Airport in Dammam and an intercepted ballistic missile over Al-Kharj province. The Houthi advance gave the group better control over Red Sea shipping corridors, increasing regional pressure for military responses.