Deadly missile strike hits King Khalid international airport in Riyadh

On October 10, 2026, a deadly missile attack struck Terminal 3 of the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, around 15:00 local time. The assault, attributed to Houthi forces from Yemen, resulted in at least 12 deaths and 309 injuries. Among the deceased were citizens from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Palestine, Jordan, and Argentina. The incident caused widespread chaos, emergency evacuations, and the indefinite suspension of flight operations as hospitals in the capital were overwhelmed by casualties.

This attack follows a week of increased regional tensions, including two prior strikes on the same airport that claimed four lives earlier in the week. In response, Saudi aviation authorities suspended all traffic, while major airlines such as Etihad, Qatar, and Kuwait Airways canceled multiple routes. The U.S. embassy in Riyadh subsequently imposed strict travel restrictions on government personnel, requiring special authorization to use airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Following the event, the Saudi-led coalition reported the interception of another ballistic missile southeast of Riyadh near the Prince Sultan Air Base. International leaders, including the UN special envoy to Yemen, have condemned the escalation, warning that such attacks threaten regional stability and undermine ongoing peace efforts.