Twelve people died and 309 others sustained injuries in an attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 11, 2026. Saudi aviation authorities temporarily suspended operations as regional leaders, the Arab Interior Ministers Council, and the United States condemned the strike amid ongoing regional tensions.
A direct missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh caused a major humanitarian and material disaster on Saturday afternoon. The General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia confirmed that the 12 deaths included four Saudi citizens, alongside foreign nationals from Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, and the United States. Medical and official sources reported that the projectile hit vital facilities inside the country’s largest aviation hub during peak afternoon travel hours, sparking panic among passengers and staff.
Emergency rescue teams and civil defense units rushed to the scene to manage critical cases and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Among the victims identified in the initial hours were an Egyptian flight attendant on duty and a young Palestinian man carrying Egyptian travel documents who was inside the terminal at the moment of the impact.
Projectile Impact Near Dammam and Ballistic Interception Over Al-Kharj
Hours after the Riyadh attack, the Arab coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen reported that a projectile had fallen in the vicinity of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on the kingdom’s eastern coast. Turki al-Maliki, the official spokesperson for the coalition, stated that the projectile landed in an uninhabited area without causing immediate casualties at that specific site.
Concurrently, coalition forces successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Saudi territory above Al-Kharj governorate. These incidents followed earlier strikes earlier in the week that targeted airports in Abha and Riyadh, which had already claimed the lives of several residents and injured dozens of others.
Operational Suspension and Regional Flight Disruptions at King Khalid Airport
Following the deadly explosion, Saudi authorities suspended all operational activities and flight schedules at King Khalid International Airport to allow specialized teams to assess structural damage and secure the facilities. Regional carriers moved quickly to adjust their schedules. Kuwait Airways announced the cancellation of scheduled flights KU775 and KU776 between Kuwait and Riyadh as airlines worked to steer clear of affected airspace.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised citizens abroad or stranded by the temporary flight suspensions to coordinate with diplomatic missions while technical evaluations of the damaged terminals continued.
International Condemnation and Pledges of Firm Response from Riyadh and Allies
Military and diplomatic reactions poured in immediately after the attacks. The Arab coalition vowed to retaliate decisively.
It will be responded to firmly
Turki al-Maliki, Coalition Spokesperson
The General Secretariat of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, based in Tunis, issued a strong statement denouncing the assault as a cowardly terrorist act that violated international law and threatened regional stability.
Governments across the Gulf and the broader region, including Qatar, Bahrain, Palestine, and the Yemeni government, echoed those condemnations. They emphasized that the safety of Saudi Arabia remains an inseparable pillar of collective regional security.