According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the victims included four Saudi nationals and two Bangladeshi citizens. The remaining fatalities were citizens of the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt, with one person killed from each country.
GACA said at least 309 people were wounded, some of whom were in critical condition. All the injured were receiving treatment in hospitals. The attack also caused damage to property, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend airport operations while officials assessed the situation.
Saturday’s strike was the third Houthi attack on the airport in a single week. An assault on Thursday killed at least three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, according to GACA.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen condemned Saturday’s attack as a “full-fledged war crime”. Coalition spokesperson Major-General Turki al-Malki said the alliance would respond decisively in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Al-Malki also reported a separate incident involving a projectile that landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
Al Jazeera correspondent Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa, said the Houthis had indicated that King Khalid International Airport and other Saudi airports would be among their primary targets.
The attacks come amid escalating fighting in Yemen between forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and the Iran-backed Houthis. Saudi Arabia has supported the Yemeni government through an air campaign, claiming hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas, including the capital, Sanaa.
Following Saturday’s attack, the head of the Houthi media office claimed on X that the group had shut down Riyadh’s international airport.
The Houthis have also warned airlines against operating in Saudi airspace, declaring it a military operations zone after Yemeni government forces launched an offensive against them on Monday. The group said aircraft flying over Saudi Arabia, except above the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, could be targeted.
Qatar condemned the strike, describing it as a direct threat to regional security. Egypt, Jordan and Oman also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and offered their condolences.
US President Donald Trump called the attack “terrible” and said he was considering whether the United States would join military operations against the Houthis.
Several foreign missions in Riyadh, including those representing the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada, issued security advisories urging their citizens to exercise caution.
The US Mission in Saudi Arabia said it was aware of the attacks and strongly advised American citizens to stay away from the airport and nearby areas. British and Irish officials also warned their nationals about a serious incident, while Canada’s embassy urged citizens to avoid travelling to the airport because of continuing military activity.
The latest attack followed Thursday’s claim by the Houthis that they had launched a ballistic missile towards Riyadh’s airport, hitting their intended target and disrupting air traffic.
