RIYADH Oct 11, 2026 — One person was killed and 11 others injured in a fresh attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport, Saudi authorities said, marking the latest strike in a rapid escalation of Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s civilian aviation infrastructure.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed that the attack on Sunday left a Pakistani resident dead and injured 11 others, all of whom were transferred to hospital. The Saudi-led coalition said an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4, sparking a fire. Saudi air defenses also intercepted a cruise missile in the vicinity of the airport.
The incident comes a day after a more devastating strike on the same airport on Saturday, October 10, which killed at least 12 people (later rising to 13 after an injured Indian national died) and wounded more than 300. Saturday’s victims included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one national each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for that attack and others on Saudi airports and infrastructure.
King Khalid International Airport, which serves the Saudi capital and has no military facilities, has been targeted repeatedly this week. Earlier strikes killed several people, including a pilot, and damaged a commercial aircraft. Operations at the airport remain suspended as authorities assess damage to radar, communications equipment, and runways, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and diversions. Riyadh authorities have also shifted schools to remote learning amid the security situation.
The attacks form part of a broader Houthi campaign launched after a ceasefire in Yemen’s long-running conflict unraveled earlier this year. The Saudi-led coalition has described the strikes as “war crimes” against civilian targets and vowed a decisive response. The Houthis have warned airlines and travelers against using Saudi airports and airspace, exempting only the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia, a member of the expanded BRICS grouping, has faced mounting pressure on its critical infrastructure as the Yemen conflict intensifies. The situation has drawn international condemnation, with the United Nations calling the attacks violations of international law, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was reviewing possible involvement in Saudi operations against the Houthis.
About The Author
