A missile strike attributed to Yemen's Houthi rebels hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing at least 12 people and wounding around 50, according to RaiNews. The projectile struck Terminal 3 of the Saudi capital's main airport, turning the gate area into a scene of smoke, debris and bloodstained floors.
Diplomatic sources cited by Agence France-Presse identified the weapon as a missile. Witnesses described panic in the departures area, saying the impact landed near gate 401 and triggered a chaotic rush of passengers and staff as flight cancellations paralyzed air traffic.
Saudi civil aviation authorities confirmed the incident only after several hours of silence, referring generally to injuries and ordering all flights temporarily suspended while the safety and usability of the facilities were checked. Rescue operations began immediately, with ambulances and helicopters deployed to move the most seriously injured to King Fahad Hospital.
Why it matters
The strike is the latest in a series of attacks on the Saudi capital that RaiNews describes as unprecedented in scale and frequency since 2014, when war broke out in Yemen between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces. A Saudi-led coalition has backed the government militarily since 2015.
The escalation also pulls Washington further into the open. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House, was asked whether the United States might join Saudi strikes against the Houthis. "We could do it. We'll assess the situation. We just learned of the recent attack, so we will make a decision. We act very quickly," he said, according to RaiNews. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks, saying they "demonstrate a blatant disregard for the lives of innocent civilians."
Casualties and the days before
Among the dead was a member of an Egyptian crew working for a Saudi airline, RaiNews reports. A second victim was a Palestinian holding Egyptian travel documents, according to a medical source at a local hospital who spoke to AFP. A diplomatic source said the attack was carried out by the Houthis.
The Iranian-aligned Yemeni fighters had already claimed attacks on the airport on Wednesday and Thursday. Three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed in those strikes, RaiNews reports. Three more people died on Wednesday — respectively of Egyptian, Algerian and Sudanese nationality.
In the capital, doctors were called back to hospitals during the day to treat the wounded. Several Western embassies advised their staff to avoid the airport for a week, according to a Western diplomat cited by RaiNews. Italy's foreign ministry issued an urgent advisory telling Italian citizens to avoid the airport and limit non-essential movement nearby, aligning with guidance already issued by Germany, Spain and Canada. Several diplomatic missions barred their officials from using the airport for the coming week.
Saudi retaliation and regional fallout
After the attack, the Saudi-led coalition launched fresh strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. According to al Masirah television, two civilians were killed and another wounded in a raid on a market in Taiz province, while a child died in the detonation of an unexploded ordnance left from an earlier bombardment. Saudi jets returned to action in Saada province, carrying out six raids on the Majz district alone in under an hour.
RaiNews notes that the repeated drone and missile launches against the capital and southern cities of the kingdom are straining Saudi Arabia's economic strategy. The outlet cites the Wall Street Journal in reporting that the offensive risks disrupting air traffic, business travel and tourism on the eve of the season for major international events. A particular concern is the Future Investment Initiative, the global economic conference scheduled in Riyadh for later this month, which now faces the prospect of significant withdrawals and fears over the safety of foreign investors and delegations.
Shifting numbers in Washington
Political tension is also rising in Washington over the handling of the conflict in Iran. Without formal announcements or press conferences, the U.S. Department of Defense updated statistical tables on its official portal, revising upward its count of losses among American armed forces. According to the New York Times, the official tally of military deaths rose from 18 to 21, while the number of wounded reached 865 — an increase of 98 compared with figures released in August.
The quiet revision of the records immediately drew a reaction from the opposition on Capitol Hill. Democratic Party figures pointed at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, disputing the opacity with which the administration is said to be managing public communication about the conflict's real human toll. Opposition representatives are demanding urgent clarification from the Pentagon, RaiNews reports.
What to watch next: whether Trump follows through on joining Saudi operations against the Houthis, and whether the Riyadh investment conference proceeds as scheduled.
