Key facts
- 12 people were killed in an attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
- Over 300 people were injured in the attack.
- The deceased included nationals from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Palestine, the U.S., Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Sudan.
- Some of the injured were in critical condition.
- Airport operations were suspended until midnight.
- The attack is the deadliest in a Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war.
An attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday killed 12 people and injured more than 300, Saudi authorities announced early Sunday. The casualties included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian, and a Sudanese. Some of the injured were in critical condition and receiving treatment at several hospitals.
The attack, which authorities did not immediately assign blame for, is the deadliest in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war. It is expected to increase pressure on the United States to provide military support to Saudi Arabia. President Donald Trump stated he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.
Saudi civil aviation authorities announced that airport operations were suspended through midnight, with flights diverted elsewhere. The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports and oil infrastructure, follows a major military offensive launched by a Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis had claimed attacks earlier in the week on the same airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. A regional official, speaking anonymously, said a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights on Saturday.