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Riyadh Airport Attack: Deadliest Houthi Strike in a Decade Kills 13, Pakistani National Among Dead in Latest Attack

Riyadh's airport was attacked again on Sunday, a day after the deadliest Houthi strike on Saudi soil in over a decade killed 13. A Pakistani national died in the latest attack. A simple explainer.

8:45 AM PKT 6 min read

Illustration of an airport terminal and control tower silhouetted against a dark night sky

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been attacked again — for the fourth time in five days. One day after a missile strike that was described as the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, the airport was hit a second time, and a Pakistani national was among the people killed in the latest attack.

This is a fast-moving and painful story, so we will keep the tone respectful and stick closely to what Saudi authorities and major news agencies have reported.

The short version

On Saturday, October 10, a Houthi missile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 309 wounded; the death toll was later reported as 13, with more than 300 people wounded in total. On Sunday, October 11, the airport was attacked again: a projectile hit Terminal 4 and started a fire, killing one person — a Pakistani national — and injuring 11 others, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), as reported by Arab News. A cruise missile near the airport was intercepted, Dammam’s airport was also attacked on Sunday evening, and Riyadh’s airport remained closed.

Saturday: the deadliest strike in more than a decade

The weekend began with the attack on Saturday, October 10, when a missile struck the airport complex around terminals 3 and 4.

Saudi authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 309 wounded; the toll was later reported as 13 killed and more than 300 wounded. Officials described it as the deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade.

The victims were Saudi citizens and foreign nationals — according to the reporting, the dead included people from Bangladesh, Palestine, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan. The airport was closed after the attack, and footage released from the terminal showed pilgrims inside the building.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack.

Sunday: the airport was hit again, and a Pakistani national was killed

On Sunday, October 11, the airport came under attack once more. A projectile struck Terminal 4 and a fire broke out.

According to GACA, as reported by Arab News, one person was killed — a Pakistani national — and 11 other people were injured. The coalition said Saudi air defences intercepted a cruise missile near the airport.

For readers in Pakistan, this part of the story hits close to home. Large numbers of Pakistanis live and work in Saudi Arabia, and many more pass through its airports for work and for Umrah. Our thoughts are with his family.

Sunday’s strike was the fourth attack on Riyadh’s airport in five days, and the danger did not stay in one city: GACA also reported an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the Eastern Province, on Sunday evening.

Why this is an escalation

One attack on a civilian airport is a tragedy. Four attacks in five days, on the same airport, is a pattern — and that is what officials mean by “escalation”.

In simple words: the Houthis are an Iran-aligned group in Yemen. Yemen has been at war for years, and a Saudi-led coalition backs Yemen’s government against them. Missiles from that war reaching a civilian airport in the Saudi capital is the kind of widening of the conflict that governments in the region say they fear. Because Riyadh is a major travel hub, the disruption is felt by passengers far beyond one country.

Flights, travellers and the airport closure

Riyadh’s airport remained closed after Saturday’s attack, and flights were cancelled or diverted while damage and safety assessments were carried out.

If you or your family have travel plans through Riyadh or Dammam in the coming days, please follow official airline and airport updates rather than rumours on social media. Schedules can change quickly in a situation like this.

How governments reacted

India’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the strikes. The Houthis’ own claim of responsibility for Saturday’s strike, and GACA’s statements reported by Arab News attributing Sunday’s attack to the Houthi militia as well, made clear who Saudi Arabia holds responsible for the weekend’s violence.

What is still unclear

Some things are not yet known. The full extent of the damage to Terminal 4 has not been published in detail, and as of the latest reports the airport remained closed while assessments continued. Official updates on the wounded, the damage, and when normal operations can safely resume are still to come.

What is clear is the human cost of one weekend: at least 12 people killed on Saturday, with the toll later reported as 13, and more than 300 wounded — then, on Sunday, one more person killed, a Pakistani national, and 11 injured. These were travellers, workers and pilgrims at an airport. They deserve to be remembered as people, not just numbers.

Common questions

What happened at Riyadh airport on Sunday, October 11?

A projectile struck Terminal 4 and a fire broke out. According to GACA, as reported by Arab News, one person was killed — a Pakistani national — and 11 people were injured. A cruise missile near the airport was also intercepted.

How many people were killed in the Saturday, October 10 attack?

Saudi authorities said at least 12 people were killed and 309 wounded. The death toll was later reported as 13, with more than 300 wounded in total. Officials described it as the deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade.

Who carried out the attacks on Riyadh airport?

The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group in Yemen. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, and Sunday’s attack was also attributed to the Houthi militia. A Saudi-led coalition backs Yemen’s government against the Houthis.

What do we know about the Pakistani national killed on Sunday?

GACA’s statement, as reported by Arab News, identified the person killed in Sunday’s attack as a Pakistani national and said 11 other people were injured. The official statements reported so far give no further personal details.

Is Riyadh airport open, and were other airports attacked?

No — Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport remained closed after Saturday’s attack while damage and safety assessments continued. Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport was also attacked on Sunday evening, according to GACA. Travellers should follow official airline and airport updates.

Sources

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