At least 12 people were killed in the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 October, with a further 309 injured, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). Operations at the airport were temporarily suspended, and flights were cancelled or diverted.
Briefly about the main points
- The GACA reported 12 dead and 309 injured following the attack on 10 October.
- Operations at King Khalid Airport have been temporarily suspended.
- The US and British embassies have urged citizens to avoid the airport.
- The Saudi-led coalition and the US have blamed the Houthis, but the Houthis have not claimed responsibility.
Casualties and the operation of the airfield
According to GACA, the fatalities included four Saudi Arabian nationals, two Bangladeshi nationals, and one national each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Some of the injured were in a critical condition.
The Saudi Arabian civil aviation authorities have stated that operations at the airport have been suspended to assess the damage and carry out safety checks. As a result of the restrictions, some flights have been cancelled or diverted.
Reuters, citing eyewitnesses reported about the explosion, the injured at the terminal and the arrival of ambulances. The agency also verified footage showing emergency service vehicles near the airport.
Warning for passengers
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has strongly advised Americans to avoid the airport and the surrounding areas. The British Embassy has advised its citizens not to visit the airport until security has been restored there, and to follow the instructions of the local authorities.
Passengers planning to fly to or from Riyadh should check the current status of their specific flight with the airline before travelling to the airport.
Who is being accused of the attack?
The Saudi-led military coalition and the US have blamed the Houthis for the attack. However, at the time of publication, the Houthis had not publicly claimed responsibility specifically for the strike on 10 October, so the perpetrator of the attack has not been definitively established by an independent source.
The strike is referred to as the third an attack on the airport in a week. The two attacks on 8 October were an isolated incident: according to the Saudi Press Agency, three people were killed and a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft was damaged.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack and stated that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure must cease. The US President Donald Trump said that Washington might consider joining the Saudi strikes against the Houthis, but did not announce a decision on the matter.
