Riyadh Airport Attack: 7 Massive Details That Shocked World

The world is watching Saudi Arabia after a deadly missile strike hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The Riyadh airport attack killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, making it the deadliest strike on the kingdom in a decade.

At orinanews.com, we have gathered the verified facts from official Saudi statements and international outlets so you can understand what happened and what it means. A second strike followed on Sunday, hitting the same airport again. Read this full orinanews.com report for the complete timeline, and visit https://orinanews.com for daily world headlines in simple language.

In this article:

• The October 10 Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport
• Riyadh Airport Attack: Victims and Casualties
• Who Claimed Responsibility for the Riyadh Airport Attack
• Second Strike in the Riyadh Airport Attack: Terminal 4 Hit
• World Reaction to the Riyadh Airport Attack

The October 10 Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport

Around 3 pm local time on Saturday, October 10, a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement struck a terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to Saudi authorities and international media. The blast tore through one of the airport’s busy terminals in the Saudi capital. The Riyadh airport attack killed at least 12 people and wounded 309 others, and the French daily Le Monde described it as the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia in a decade. The strike came amid an intensification of cross-border attacks: since early October, Saudi airports have faced near-daily missile and drone threats from across the kingdom’s southern border, following the Saudi-led coalition’s aerial support for “Operation Dawn of Yemen,” a Yemeni government forces campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthi movement. The Houthis have framed the airport strikes as retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, arguing that if no aircraft can land at Sanaa’s airport, the same should apply in Saudi Arabia, a blockade for a blockade.

Image idea: King Khalid International Airport terminal exterior in Riyadh at dusk.

Riyadh Airport Attack: Victims and Casualties

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation released the casualty breakdown on October 11. The 12 people killed in the Riyadh airport attack included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign residents: two Bangladeshis and one national each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The death toll later rose to 13 after India’s embassy in Riyadh confirmed that one of its citizens, injured in the blast, had died. Of the 309 wounded, some were reported to be in serious condition and were treated at hospitals across Riyadh, including a French woman, according to French media. A separate official update on October 12 said the follow-up strike a day later killed one Pakistani resident and injured 11 more people. The kingdom’s civil aviation authority confirmed that airport operations were temporarily suspended after the strike, pending damage assessments and safety checks.

Image idea: Candles and flowers at a memorial, honouring the victims of the airport attack.

Who Claimed Responsibility for the Riyadh Airport Attack

Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the Riyadh airport attack. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech on October 11 that the group’s forces had carried out the operation, and he renewed warnings of further strikes against the airport. Senior Houthi officials described the attack as retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, including strikes on civilian infrastructure. Saudi officials condemned the strike and vowed a response. The exchange is part of a wider escalation: Saudi warplanes have intensified their campaign in Yemen even as Houthi missiles and drones have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports, including facilities in Abha, Jizan and Najran in recent days. Air traffic across the kingdom has been severely disrupted, with King Khalid International Airport closed since the October 10 strike. The group also claimed an attack on the airport in Dammam and on two facilities of Saudi oil giant Aramco.

Image idea: A map showing Riyadh and the flight path region between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Second Strike in the Riyadh Airport Attack: Terminal 4 Hit

The Riyadh airport attack continued the very next day. On Sunday, October 11, Saudi officials said an “unidentified projectile” struck Terminal 4 of King Khalid International Airport, injuring an unspecified number of people and sparking a fire. Saudi air defences also intercepted a cruise missile in the vicinity of the airport, officials said. The Houthis also claimed an attack on the airport in Dammam in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. The airport has remained closed since the October 10 attack while authorities assess the damage. The disruption rippled beyond aviation: Saudi authorities told parents that all schools in Riyadh would shift to remote learning from Sunday through Thursday, suspending in-person classes.

Image idea: Smoke rising near an airport terminal with emergency vehicles responding.

World Reaction to the Riyadh Airport Attack

International condemnation of the Riyadh airport attack was swift. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply shocked” by the attack and strongly condemned it, stressing that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law. India also condemned the strike on October 11, calling attacks on civilians “completely unacceptable” and expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The regional “R4” group — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye — condemned the Houthi attacks “in the strongest terms” on October 11, including what it called the heinous targeting of King Khalid International Airport. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the attacks caused civilian deaths and injuries and damaged civilian infrastructure, calling them a blatant violation of international law. New Delhi, meanwhile, expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia in defence of its sovereignty and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities across the region.

Image idea: Flags of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye together, symbolising the joint R4 condemnation.

FAQs

1. When did the Riyadh airport attack happen? The main strike hit King Khalid International Airport around 3 pm on Saturday, October 10, 2026, with a second strike on Terminal 4 the next day.
2. How many people died in the Riyadh airport attack? At least 13 were killed and 309 wounded in the October 10 strike, including nationals of nine countries; the October 11 strike killed one Pakistani resident.
3. Who claimed the Riyadh airport attack? Yemen’s Houthi movement, through military spokesman Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the strikes and warned of more to come.
4. Is Riyadh airport open now? The airport was closed after the October 10 strike for damage assessment, and Riyadh schools shifted to remote learning from Sunday to Thursday.
5. How did Pakistan react to the Riyadh airport attack? Pakistan joined Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye in the R4 group, condemning the Houthi strikes “in the strongest terms.”

Meta Description:

Houthi missile hit Riyadh airport on Oct 10, 2026, killing 13 and wounding 309. Second strike on Oct 11. Verified timeline of the Riyadh airport attack.