Deadly Projectile Strike at Riyadh Airport Leaves One Dead and Eleven Injured Amid Rising Regional Tensions

Surveillance footage shows smoke and fire at the moment of an attack at King Khalid International airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 10, 2026. A projectile has struck the facility, resulting in the death of one person and injuring 11 others, according to the country's civil aviation authority.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) identified the deceased victim in Sunday's attack as a Pakistani resident, adding that the injured individuals were transferred to several hospitals for medical care. The strike impacted terminals 3 and 4, which handle domestic flights, coming just a day after a Houthi missile hit the airport and killed 12 people while wounding more than 300, as reported by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

India's embassy in Saudi Arabia reported that one of its citizens died on Sunday from injuries sustained in Saturday's attack, which brings the total death toll from that incident to 13. Following the latest strike, GACA announced that damage assessments and safety inspections of the airport were currently under way.

A witness aboard a taxiing aircraft stated that a projectile struck the tarmac next to several parked planes at approximately 8:30pm (17:30 GMT) on Sunday, sparking a fire. The witness noted that the aircraft returned to the gate, where passengers disembarked and were instructed to leave the area. King Khalid International airport has now been targeted four times over the past five days.

Previous Houthi attacks on the airport on Thursday resulted in the deaths of at least three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, based on GACA reports. The aviation hub has remained closed since Saturday's strike, marking the deadliest incident in the country since the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strikes occurring prior to Sunday. These repeated airport attacks have escalated the ongoing war in Yemen and raised concerns of potential US military involvement. US President Donald Trump stated he is weighing whether to join the fight against the Houthis.

This escalation places additional pressure on global oil supplies and pricing, alongside commercial shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait off the Yemeni coast, which serves as a crucial alternative waterway to the Strait of Hormuz. Although President Trump indicated an intent to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—who is seeking assistance against the Houthis—no signs of such a follow-up conversation were observed on Sunday.

Fears persist that potential US intervention could prompt the Houthis to halt shipping operations through Bab al-Mandeb, further restricting oil flow out of the Gulf region. The rebels seized key areas along the strait last month, prompting the Saudi-led coalition—which backs forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognised government—to attempt to retake them.