News Middle East Saudi Arabia Attacks
Attack on Riyadh airport kills at least 12
At least 12 people were killed and at least 300 were injured in an attack on Riyadh airport, according to reports first published on 10 October 2026 by the United Nations, Reuters and the BBC.
The death toll is provisional: the United Nations, Al Jazeera and The National report 12, while Reuters, the BBC and France 24 put it at up to 17. Terrorism Portal gives the lowest figure confirmed by at least two independent sources.
According to the BBC, Al Jazeera and France 24, Ansar Allah (Houthis) claimed responsibility.
The sources consulted present it as an attack by Ansar Allah (Houthis) without calling it terrorism; Terrorism Portal does not classify it as such on the basis of these reports.
Ansar Allah (Houthis) is on the UN Security Council sanctions list for Yemen.
Confirmed facts
- Location
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Middle East) Corroborated
- Event date
- 10 October 2026 Date of first reports
- Type of event
- Attack on an airport Corroborated
- Deaths
- At least 12 (up to 17 in other reports) Provisional
- Injured
- At least 300 (up to 309 in other reports) Provisional
- Responsibility
- Claimed by Ansar Allah (Houthis), according to the BBC, Al Jazeera and France 24 Attributed
- Classification
- Not described as terrorism by the sources consulted As reported
- Independent sources
- 47
Context
Absolute monarchy and the largest economy in the Gulf, custodian of Islam's two holiest mosques. Has led a military coalition in Yemen since 2015 and has been the target of Houthi missile and drone attacks. Historically a target of al-Qaeda and Islamic State attacks.
Terrorism Portal's dossier “Yemen: Conflict, Terrorism and Regional Power Projection” provides background on this subject.
How this report was verified
Method: 47 independent sources were compared. The original article of at least one of them was retrieved, and only facts on which at least two of them agree are given as facts; claims are attributed to those who make them.
Sources consulted
- ‘These attacks must cease immediately’: Guterres condemns deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh airport
- Arabie saoudite : Guterres condamne une attaque houthiste meurtrière contre l’aéroport de Riyad
- Guterres condena el ataque de los hutíes contra el aeropuerto de Riad, Arabia Saudita
- Secretary-General Strongly Condemns Houthis’ Lethal Attack on Riyadh Airport
- Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia condemn Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport
- One dead in new attack on Saudi airport, a day after Houthi strike kills 13
- Saudi minister vows 'serious response' to Houthi attacks on airports
- Riyadh airport attacks another dangerous moment in already tense conflict
- Why are the Houthis striking Saudi airports?
- Saudi Arabia extends Riyadh aiport suspension, vows deadly response to Houthis strikes
+ 42
- Dos ataques contra el aeropuerto internacional de Riad el fin de semana dejan al menos 14 muertos y más de 300 heridos
- بعد استهداف مطار الرياض: ما خيارات السعودية لوقف هجمات الحوثيين؟
- Arabia Saudita: rebeldes hutíes se atribuyen ataques al aeropuerto de Riad
- Houthi rebels claim new strikes on Saudi airports and energy facilities
- Closure of Riyadh airport extended after deadly Houthi strikes
- Pakistani national killed, 11 wounded as Riyadh airport hit by Houthi strike
- Saudi Arabia faces challenge of repeated and simultaneous attacks
- Pilot, flight attendant and widowed mother among victims of Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia
- Military superiority cannot guarantee peace in the Middle East
- Riyadh airport attacked again and Trump announces Ukraine-Russia 'energy ceasefire'
- Riyadh airport attacked again after Houthi missile strike that killed 13 and injured hundreds
- Riyadh attack: Iran cannot distance itself from outsourced Houthi violence
- Saudi Arabia presses on with global energy summit after deadly Riyadh airport attack
- Saudi-led coalition vows to ‘respond decisively’ to deadly Riyadh airport attack
- Twelve killed and 309 wounded in attack on Riyadh airport
- Houthis threaten Saudi airports after deadly Riyadh attack
- 12 dead, 309 hurt in Houthi missile attack on Riyadh airport
- Houthi attack on Riyadh airport 'dangerous escalation' and 'contemptible': UK defense minister - Region - World
- Houthi strike on Riyadh Airport kills 12, wounds 309 as Saudi Arabia vows response
- Ataques contra el aeropuerto de Riad dejaron al menos 12 muertos en las últimas 24 horas; fueron reivindicados por los hutíes de Yemen
- Douze morts dans une attaque imputée aux Houthis contre l'aéroport de Ryad
- Les Houthis renouvellent leurs menaces contre les aéroports saoudiens, au lendemain de l'attaque meurtrière à Ryad
- "Une grave escalade": douze morts et plus de 300 blessés dans une attaque contre l'aéroport de Ryad, imputée aux Houthis
- Arabie saoudite : un mort et 11 blessés après une nouvelle attaque sur l’aéroport de Ryad, les Houthistes revendiquent plusieurs frappes
- Arabia Saudita bajo ataque: ¿qué opciones tiene frente a la milicia hutí?
- How exposed is Saudi Arabia? Yemen's Houthis scale up drone and missile attacks
- Saudi Arabia on the backfoot in the war against the Houthis - DW.com
- Saudis probe how defense systems failed to stop deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh airport
- Saudi Arabia vows retaliation against Houthis after airport strike kills at least 12
- Saudi Arabia further suspends flights after latest deadly Houthi attack on airport
- Houthis attack Riyadh's airport in Saudi Arabia 4 times in the past week
- Countries warn against travel to Saudi Arabia following Houthi attacks
- Trump weighs joining the fight against Houthis after Riyadh airport attack
- Fresh Houthi strike hits Riyadh airport a day after deadly attack
- World condemns deadly Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh airport
- Trump: US may join Saudi Arabia strikes on Houthis after airport attack | RISING
- Houthis claim attack targeting Riyadh airport with ballistic missile
- Saudi Arabia cancels flights and threatens severe response to Houthi attacks as war escalates
- Saudi Arabia will have to respond to Houthi airport attack – but the choices are stark
- Saudi airport attacked after Houthis claim deadly Riyadh strike
- 12 killed, hundreds injured in Saudi Arabia airport attack as Houthi strikes intensify
- Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Airport Attacked Again, After Days of Houthi Strikes
Original headlines are shown as each source published them, in their own language.
Right of reply and corrections: write to us through the contact page.