Missile strikes passenger terminal at airport in Saudi capital; many are wounded

CAIRO — The international airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, was attacked again Saturday, suspending flights and prompting evacuations, officials said, just days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed as the kingdom faces an extraordinary series of assaults in the new front in the Iran war.

President Trump told reporters he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for this week’s attacks on King Khalid International Airport as well as other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure.

“We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump said. “We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.”

In the latest attack, a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights at the Riyadh airport, leaving many people wounded, one of the regional officials said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media. Ambulances were seen rushing to the scene.

The surge in attacks has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. There was no immediate Houthi statement Saturday.

Saudi civil aviation authorities said operations at the airport had been suspended and the damage and number of wounded were being assessed. An official notice to aviators said the suspension was through midnight. The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed.

Flights diverted elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport.

The attacks on airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, has rattled markets and the region.

Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces in an attempt to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea.

The rebels’ gains gave them better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that’s a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships.

Though the Houthis have said they are targeting Saudi shipping only as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them, concerns about wider attacks persist. The Houthis previously attacked other ships after the war in Gaza began, in solidarity with Palestinians. A U.S. bombing campaign ended that.

Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense support to the region, regional officials told the AP last month, with one noting that the U.S. has seen its own stock dwindle during the war with Iran.

Officials said U.S. assistance has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the latest offensive.

The Saudi and Omani foreign ministers spoke by phone about the importance of “supporting diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions” in the region, the Saudi government said Saturday. Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, has at times played a mediator role in the region.

Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned the public this week that “filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability.”

This week, the Houthis warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they described as a theater for their military operations.

At least 225 flights at the Riyadh airport had been canceled over the last 24 hours, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.

Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines have been among the airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for the next few days.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a “greater focus on aviation infrastructure.”

The missile and drone attacks and interception efforts “create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft,” it said.

In Thursday’s attack, the Saudi national carrier said one of its aircraft was damaged while it was on the ground, with no passengers on board.

Magdy and Anna write for the Associated Press. Anna reported from Jerusalem. AP writers Victoria Eastwood in Cairo, Collin Binkley in Washington and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.

Saudi authorities say 3 killed in Houthi-claimed attacks on Riyadh airport Oct. 9, 2026 Attacks on Saudi airports claimed by Houthi rebels kill 3 people, officials say Oct. 7, 2026 Saudi-led coalition says 6 ballistic missiles are intercepted and blames Houthi rebels Sept. 24, 2026 Show Comments World & NationMiddle East The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.

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