Riyadh Airport Attack Leaves 12 Dead and Over 300 Injured, Saudi Officials Report

At least 12 people have been killed and 309 others injured following a strike targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to statements from Saudi Arabian officials reported by Daily Post Nigeria.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced the casualty figures following the incident, which reportedly struck a passenger terminal at the capital city’s primary international hub. GACA confirmed that flight operations were temporarily halted while emergency personnel conducted structural assessments and safety screenings across the facilities.

Casualties and Terminal Damage

According to GACA’s official breakdown, the victims killed in the strike represented multiple nationalities. The deceased included four Saudi citizens, two nationals from Bangladesh, and one individual each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan.

Local health facilities received the 309 injured individuals, with civil aviation officials stating that several patients remained in critical condition. Authorities did not immediately detail the precise mechanism or weapon used in the strike, noting only that assessments were actively underway to determine the structural extent of the destruction inside the terminal complex.

Coalition Blames Houthi Movement

The Saudi-led military coalition operating in Yemen attributed the assault directly to the Houthi movement. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki strongly condemned the strike as a violation of international humanitarian law, signaling that military retaliation would follow.

“The Joint Forces Command will respond firmly to this terrorist attack in accordance with international humanitarian law,” al-Maliki said in a statement cited by the report.

The incident represents a severe development in the ongoing cross-border hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi forces. Regional civil infrastructure, including regional airports and transport hubs, has previously been subject to aerial assaults during the prolonged conflict.

Ongoing Response and Regional Tensions

While standard airport operations were disrupted during the immediate aftermath, emergency crews focused on ensuring security across runways, hangars, and passenger concourses before clearance could be granted for full resumption. Further specifics regarding flight diversions or international schedule disruptions were not immediately detailed by authorities.

With military officials vowing a decisive response, the incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of commercial aviation hubs during regional conflicts. International observers and regional authorities remain focused on how the coalition will respond and what safety measures will be implemented to secure passenger aviation corridors across the Arabian Peninsula.

Source: Daily Post Nigeria

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