A missile attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people, including two Bangladeshis, and injured more than 300 others, Saudi civil aviation authorities said Sunday, with several victims in critical condition.
The Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, calling the strike a “fully-fledged war crime” and vowing a firm response. The airport has no military facilities.
The fatalities also included four Saudi citizens, a Palestinian, a US citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese national. The injured were receiving treatment at several hospitals.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Washington was considering joining Saudi strikes against the rebels, adding that he would discuss the attack with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the death of an American citizen and condemned the attack, saying it showed disregard for civilian lives.
Airport operations were suspended following the strike, with flights diverted elsewhere, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Several countries, including the US, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada, advised their citizens to avoid the airport.
The attack came amid escalating fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, raising concerns about regional security and disruptions to aviation and shipping.