RIYADH — The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen has vowed to respond "firmly" to the Houthi attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, calling the strike that killed 12 people and wounded 309 a "full-fledged war crime." The statement, issued early Sunday, marks the coalition's strongest public language yet as the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia in more than a decade triggers an international backlash and deepens the aviation crisis across the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released the updated toll early Sunday: four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals were among the dead, and some of the 309 injured remain in critical condition. Operations at the airport were temporarily suspended while authorities assessed the damage.
Coalition's Firm Response to the Riyadh Airport Attack
The coalition's warning came from its spokesman, Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, who said in a statement released on X and carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the attack on a passenger terminal on Saturday "constituted a war crime under international humanitarian law."
"The attack on King Khalid International Airport is a terrorist act and will be met with a firm response," Al-Maliki said, describing the strike by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia as a "full-fledged war crime" under international humanitarian law and its customary rules. He added: "The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will respond to this terrorist attack firmly and in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules."
The language matters. By framing the airport strike as a war crime rather than a battlefield blow, the coalition is building a legal and political case for retaliation — and for rallying international backing. The vow of a "firm" response follows a week in which Houthi strikes on Saudi aviation infrastructure escalated sharply, with Saturday's attack the third on King Khalid International Airport in seven days.
12 Killed, 309 Injured: The Updated Toll
The early-Sunday figures from GACA sharpened a picture that had been uncertain through Saturday night. Twelve people were killed and 309 injured in the Saturday-afternoon strike on the capital's main international airport, the aviation authority said. The injured, including some in critical condition, were being treated at several hospitals, and authorities were still assessing material damage to the airport.
The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals — two Bangladeshis and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, according to The National's breakdown of the GACA update. The presence of an American among the dead had been confirmed earlier by US officials, a development first reported here on Saturday.
The National noted the attack was the deadliest on Saudi Arabia in over a decade, came without warning, and was the third on the same airport this week — the two earlier strikes left four people dead and damaged a Saudi commercial plane parked on the tarmac.
Beyond Riyadh: Dammam Projectile, Intercepted Drone and Missile
The coalition's Sunday statement also revealed that the Houthi campaign extended beyond the capital. Hours after the Riyadh attack, Al-Maliki announced on X that a projectile had fallen near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the kingdom's Eastern Province, and later posted that a drone targeting the eastern region had been intercepted and destroyed. The coalition separately announced that a Houthi ballistic missile had been intercepted in Al-Kharj governorate, in a statement carried by SPA.
The Dammam incident carries its own weight: King Fahd International Airport, one of the kingdom's busiest transport hubs, had not previously been reported as a target since the Iran war erupted on February 28, Arab News reported. The widening map of strikes — Riyadh, Dammam, Al-Kharj — suggests the Houthis can now reach deeper into Saudi territory — a point European aviation regulators reinforced on Sunday.
Aviation Fallout: Flights Grounded, Airspace Warnings
The attack has thrown Gulf aviation into disarray. At least 291 flights at Riyadh's airport were cancelled over a 24-hour period, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, cited by Arab News. Flightradar24 data put the figure at roughly 260 cancellations on Saturday with another 219 delays.
Several international carriers — including Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines — suspended flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for varying periods. Kuwait's national carrier scrapped services as well. GlobalDeskNews reported the first wave of suspensions as they were announced.
Regulators are now treating Saudi airspace as a riskier proposition. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace on Sunday, citing the Houthis' demonstrated ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom and an increased focus on aviation infrastructure. EASA warned that missile and drone attacks — and the interception efforts they trigger — increased the risk of civil aircraft being misidentified.
Trump: "Not Acceptable"
US President Donald Trump condemned the strike on Saturday evening, telling reporters at Joint Base Andrews, according to AFP: "What happened in Saudi Arabia's not acceptable." Trump said he would speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and earlier in the day had said Washington may consider joining the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis: "We may. We're going to look at it."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attacks, confirming an American citizen was among the dead and writing on X: "These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now."
Why It Matters
Three things make Sunday's developments significant. First, the coalition's war-crime framing and explicit vow of a "firm response" raise the odds of a major retaliatory campaign. Second, the strikes' reach into Dammam and Al-Kharj shows Saudi air defences are being tested across a broader front, with direct consequences for civil aviation. Third, Washington's open consideration of joining the fight could internationalise a conflict that has already spilled over from the US-Iran war — even as the coalition-backed "Dawn of Yemen" ground offensive continues inside Yemen.
Diplomatic channels are moving too. Yemen's internationally recognised government submitted a letter to the United Nations and the Security Council concerning a separate Houthi attack on Aden airport early Wednesday, calling for condemnation, accountability and full implementation of the arms embargo on the militia, according to SPA.
What Happens Next
The immediate question is what the coalition's "firm response" looks like in practice — and how quickly it comes. Al-Maliki's statement deliberately leaves the form of retaliation open, but the coalition has already been carrying out hundreds of strikes on targets in Houthi-held territory, where the Houthis say civilians, including women and children, have been killed.
Watch for three things in the coming days: the timing and scale of any coalition retaliation; whether the Trump–MBS call produces a US commitment to join strikes; and whether airlines resume Riyadh operations or extend suspensions as the Houthis continue to demonstrate reach beyond the capital. GlobalDeskNews will update this story as the situation develops.
Key Takeaways
- The Saudi-led coalition vowed a "firm response" to Saturday's Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, calling it a "full-fledged war crime" in a Sunday statement carried by SPA.
- Saudi aviation authorities updated the toll early Sunday: 12 killed — four Saudis and eight foreign nationals — and 309 injured, some critically.
- The Houthi campaign widened beyond Riyadh: a projectile fell near Dammam's King Fahd airport, a drone targeting the eastern region was intercepted, and a ballistic missile was stopped over Al-Kharj.
- At least 291 flights were cancelled at Riyadh's airport over 24 hours, and airlines including Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa and PIA suspended services; EASA expanded its Saudi airspace warning.
- Trump condemned the attack as "not acceptable," said he would call Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and is weighing whether the US joins Saudi strikes on the Houthis.
- Saturday's strike was the deadliest on Saudi Arabia in over a decade — and the third on the same airport in a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Saudi-led coalition say after the Riyadh airport attack?
Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport was "a terrorist act" that "will be met with a firm response," calling it a "full-fledged war crime" under international humanitarian law. The statement was released on X early Sunday and carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
How many people were killed and injured in the Riyadh airport attack?
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said early Sunday that 12 people were killed and 309 injured in Saturday's attack on King Khalid International Airport. The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals — two Bangladeshis and one each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Some of the injured were reported in critical condition.
Were other Saudi airports targeted besides Riyadh?
Yes. Hours after the Riyadh attack, Al-Maliki said a projectile fell near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and that a drone targeting the eastern region was intercepted. The coalition also reported a Houthi ballistic missile intercepted in Al-Kharj. Dammam's airport had not previously been reported as a Houthi target since the Iran war began on February 28.
Which airlines suspended flights to Riyadh after the attack?
Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for varying periods, and Kuwait's national carrier scrapped services. At least 291 flights at Riyadh's airport were cancelled over a 24-hour period, according to FlightAware, while Flightradar24 reported about 260 cancellations and 219 delays on Saturday.
What did Trump say about the Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia?
US President Donald Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday: "What happened in Saudi Arabia's not acceptable." He said he would speak with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and confirmed Washington may consider joining Saudi-led strikes against the Houthis: "We may. We're going to look at it." Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed an American citizen was killed.
Is the coalition planning to retaliate against the Houthis in Yemen?
The coalition has vowed a "firm response" without specifying its form. Coalition-backed Yemeni government forces are already conducting the "Dawn of Yemen" ground offensive and claim to have retaken the Red Sea port of Mokha, though those claims have not been independently verified. The Houthis control territory home to roughly 70 percent of Yemen's population, including Sanaa.
Sources
- Arab News, "Coalition Forces vow firm response over Riyadh airport strike, Trump says Houthi attack 'not acceptable,'" October 11, 2026 — arabnews.com
- The National, "Twelve killed and 309 wounded in attack on Riyadh airport," October 11, 2026 — thenationalnews.com
- New York Post, "American among 12 dead after Iran-backed Houthis strike Saudi airport," October 10, 2026 — nypost.com
By GlobalDeskNews Staff