A new attack at Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has left one person dead and 11 injured. This incident follows a series of previous attacks on the airport and other critical installations in the country, raising growing concerns about the security of Saudi Arabian airports and vital infrastructure.
According to information from the Saudi coalition forces, an unidentified object was launched at Terminal 4 of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday (October 11), igniting a fire. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that one person was killed and 11 others were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s air defense system claimed to have intercepted a cruise missile in the vicinity of the airport. Subsequently, a drone was detected and destroyed in the country’s eastern province. The Saudi coalition forces also reported intercepting a ballistic missile launched towards the city of Khamis Mushait.
An emergency alert was issued early Monday (October 12) in the southern city of Abha, but the Saudi Civil Defense Department later announced that the danger had passed.
In a televised address on Sunday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack. He asserted that their group also carried out attacks on Dammam Airport and two facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco, the country’s largest oil company, in the eastern province.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the attack on Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport on Sunday night. A statement indicated that damage assessment and security inspections of the airport’s facilities were underway.
An eyewitness told the British news agency Reuters that around 8:30 PM on Sunday, from inside an aircraft preparing for takeoff at Dammam Airport, they saw an object strike the runway near several parked aircraft, causing a fire. The plane subsequently returned to its designated gate, and passengers were disembarked and advised to leave the airport.
According to Flightradar24, a website providing flight tracking information, multiple arrivals and departures at Dammam Airport were delayed on Sunday, and several flights were canceled. The attack on Saudi Arabia’s third-largest airport has created uncertainty regarding air travel.
Prior to these incidents, Houthi rebels had issued a new warning against using Saudi Arabian airports. In a statement, the group emphasized that their warning should be taken seriously, and Saudi Arabia would be responsible if it failed to repel missile or other attacks.
The British Embassy in Saudi Arabia, in a message posted on social media platform X, advised British citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Saudi airports other than Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina.
Similarly, the U.S. aviation authorities instructed American airlines to exercise caution when operating flights to or over Saudi Arabian airspace.
In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition is conducting air operations against Houthi rebels, while the Houthis are engaged in a ground war against the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government. Saudi Arabia has increased its military activities in Yemen following the Houthi’s control over a strategic area on the Red Sea coast last month, launching air strikes and supporting counter-operations by government forces.
The Houthis claim Saudi Arabia conducted 124 airstrikes in Yemen over the past 24 hours. The Houthi-controlled Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement broadcast on Al-Masirah television on Sunday, warned that a more dire situation could arise if Saudi Arabia does not cease its aggression and intervention in Yemen.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the United States is considering joining Saudi Arabia’s military operation against the Houthis. The conflict has also been impacted by the U.S.-Israeli initiated anti-Iran war that began in February.
On the other hand, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi announced in a Telegram post that he had spoken with the Saudi Foreign Minister and conveyed Tehran’s readiness to facilitate dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, the five-day international energy conference of WPC Energy commenced as scheduled in Riyadh on Sunday. The Saudi Ministry of Energy stated that the conference is being held at a convention center approximately 10 kilometers from Riyadh Airport.
The ministry also reported that a ministerial-level meeting of the International Energy Forum took place on the same day, though the participating countries’ ministers were not confirmed. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Italian Energy Minister and co-organizer of the conference, had stated on Friday that he would participate in the meeting via video link.
Meanwhile, German officials are attempting to arrange an alternative flight for Germany’s Economy Minister Katharina Reiche, who was scheduled to return to Berlin from Riyadh on Monday. The German Economy Ministry indicated that her flight might be unable to depart due to security concerns.
The security situation has also led to changes in Riyadh’s educational institutions. Saudi authorities announced that schools in the capital would conduct online classes instead of in-person instruction from Sunday through Thursday.