Houthi attack on Riyadh airport kills 12 and halts flights

An attack on King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh on 10 October killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi authorities cited by Live and Let's Fly. Airport operations were suspended and incoming flights diverted, affecting passengers and airlines using the Saudi capital.

What happened

Live and Let's Fly, citing Reuters, reports that the Houthis have claimed responsibility. The outlet says the attack came without an advance alert from Saudi Arabia's threat warning system. Citing AP and a regional official, it reports that a missile struck the complex housing Terminals 3 and 4. Saudi authorities say a US citizen was among the dead.

The outlet describes footage of large-scale destruction at Terminal 3 and says the passenger terminal complex was damaged. These details come from a single source and the extent of the damage has not been independently confirmed here.

Earlier attack and disruption

According to Live and Let's Fly, the strike follows an earlier attack that destroyed a parked Saudia A320 and killed three people, including an airline captain. The outlet reports more than 300 cancellations at RUH over the preceding 24 hours, a period that includes disruption already under way before the latest attack. It says several foreign airlines had already suspended service and that traffic has now effectively stopped.

The US Mission in Saudi Arabia has issued another security alert urging Americans to avoid the airport, the outlet says.

Wider concerns

Live and Let's Fly argues that reopening the runway and terminals would not by itself settle whether airlines judge it safe to fly there, and that the risk extends to alternate airports and the wider air corridor, including missiles, drones and the air defences intercepting them. This is the outlet's own assessment rather than an official statement. It also suggests the attack could prompt escalation, though the sources do not report any such response.

What this means for travellers

• Check your flight status with your airline before travelling to the airport. Flights to and from Riyadh are being diverted or suspended.
• Reconsider connections through Riyadh and, where possible, other Saudi or Gulf points until airlines confirm their plans.
• Those already in Riyadh may face difficulty leaving. Live and Let's Fly says some may have to travel overland to other departure points.
• US citizens are being urged by their mission to avoid the airport.

No reopening time has been reported, and it is not yet known which airlines will resume services or when.

Sources: Live and Let's Fly