Officials confirmed that King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was struck by a projectile on Sunday, resulting in a fire within a passenger terminal and causing injuries. This incident marks the second attack on the facility in as many days, escalating tensions in the region significantly.
A Saudi military spokesperson stated that air defenses intercepted a missile near the airport while crews addressed the blaze. The Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed that there were casualties, though specific numbers for this latest strike were not immediately detailed. This follows a devastating attack on Saturday that the authority described as the deadliest single strike on a Gulf Arab country since the broader conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran began in February.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the recent barrage, announcing they had targeted the airport with a combination of ballistic and cruise missiles alongside drones over the past 24 hours. Brig Gen Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, vowed to continue “escalating operations deep inside Saudi Arabia” and warned that Saudi airports remain potential targets, with the exception of those in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The casualty count from the earlier Saturday attack has risen, with the Saudi civil aviation authority reporting 13 dead and 308 injured. Among the deceased are four Saudi nationals, two from Bangladesh, and one citizen each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. Additionally, the Indian embassy in Riyadh announced on Sunday that an Indian national had died from injuries sustained during the assault.
The Houthis stated their actions were in retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s support of government forces in Yemen’s civil war and a recent airstrike on Sanaa International Airport. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV broadcast claims that Saudi forces had launched an air strike on the Yemeni capital, though Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the allegation and the BBC has been unable to verify it independently.
International reactions have been swift. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting indicated that the United Kingdom could “potentially” offer further support to Saudi Arabia, while Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed that he was “appalled” by the attacks. The UK Foreign Office has advised against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia, including areas within 10km of the Yemeni border, a warning echoed by other Western embassies.
US President Donald Trump stated that the United States would “move very quickly” to decide on potential retaliatory strikes against the Houthis. “We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision,” Trump said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks and confirmed that a US citizen was among the fatalities.
Vice-president of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, Abdullah Al-Alimi Bawazir, called for “decisive actions” from regional and international partners. The Saudi-led coalition has condemned the Saturday strike as a “war crime” and vowed to respond.
The surge in violence follows the collapse of a temporary ceasefire brokered in 2022, which broke down in July. The conflict intensified after Houthi forces seized strategic stretches of the Red Sea coast, prompting Saudi airstrikes. Currently, the Iran-backed group controls approximately a quarter of Yemen’s territory but nearly 80% of its population, aiming for complete control—a scenario Saudi Arabia fears would establish an Iranian satellite state on its southern border.
I read that an Indian national died from earlier injuries. Truly heartbreaking. Sending condolences to all affected families.
Is it just me, or does this escalation feel inevitable given the broken ceasefire? The region is on a knife’s edge.
My flight was cancelled due to the first strike, but now they say it hit again? Absolutely dangerous for travelers.
The casualty numbers are terrifying. I hope the international community takes this seriously and acts quickly.