Inside the scenes of chaos and devastation after Houthi rebels strike Saudi airports

Inside the scenes of chaos and devastation after Houthi rebels strike Saudi airports

The British embassy in Saudi Arabia is warning against all but essential travel to Saudi airports except Medina.

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These are the scenes of chaos and devastation after Houthi rebels targeted one of the main airports in Saudi Arabia.

Shocking footage shows passengers queuing at terminal 3 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, making their way through a security gate and sitting in a waiting area moments before the blast, after which people can be seen scrambling to find cover.

At least 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured in the attack on Saturday, with one more killed in a strike on Sunday.

The UK Embassy in Saudi Arabia has advised all but essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and all Saudi airports, except Medina, in the east of the country.

This comes as the Saudi-led coalition separately announced a drone had been intercepted in the Eastern Province.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for the Saturday strike and warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi Arabian airports and airspace.

The terror group said they had targeted the airport with a mix of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones in the past 24 hours.

Riyadh airport remains closed to flights through at least 5 pm EDT Monday.

Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty told LBC this morning: "These attacks are appalling, we utterly condemn them.

"We are in close contact with the Saudi government. We are supporting on the humanitarian front."

The incident has been described by the authority as part of a string of attacks targeting civilian aviation facilities across the country.

In a statement posted on X, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said a drone in the Eastern Province, where Dammam is located, had been intercepted and destroyed by air defences.

An "unidentified projectile" targeted Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, the day after 13 people were killed in a Houthi strike, Saudi officials have said.

The coalition said a fire resulting from the attack is being directly handled by authorities at the site.

Read more: 'We've got to do everything we can to support our Saudi allies,' says Streeting after Houthi strike at Riyadh airport kills 13

Read more: Britain backing Saudi Arabia sends ‘political signal’ to Gulf allies as Houthis threaten vital oil routes

11 October 2026: Update to FCDO Travel Advice for Saudi Arabia. To read our travel advice, please visit https://t.co/dkWmWSU8gi pic.twitter.com/ZPOz2tSNog

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting branded the strike an “outrageous escalation”, saying Britain would do “everything we can” to support Saudi Arabia

Speaking to LBC’s Lewis Goodall, Mr Streeting said: “We’ve seen outrageous escalation from the Houthis overnight with that absolutely shocking attack on the airport in Riyadh.

“It is why the UK is providing support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both in terms of ground-based air defences and also air-to-air refuelling support so that Saudi planes can fly for longer to provide that defensive action against the Houthis.

“Ultimately, there will not be a military resolution to this conflict. It can only be diplomatic.

“But in the meantime, we’ve got to do everything we can to support our Saudi allies and the legitimate government of Yemen.”

The airport had been targeted multiple times during the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen.

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported on Sunday afternoon that "the Saudi enemy" launched an airstrike on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.

There were initial reports of casualties or damage.

The Saudi-led coalition (which backs the internationally recognised Yemeni government) has not yet commented. Nor has the Saudi government.

Both the city and large areas of northern Yemen have been controlled by Houthis for about 10 years.

US carrier Delta Air Lines is set to begin direct flights to Riyadh on October 23 from Atlanta.

Delta did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday but CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC last week that "safety is going to make the call" about whether the airline will move forward.

Other major US airlines serve Riyadh via codeshare partners.

📰 Original Source Attribution

Reported by lbc.co.uk.

Read Original Report at lbc.co.uk ↗
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