At least 12 people were killed and 309 injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. The attack killed citizens of several countries including the United States, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, while some of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
Airport operations were suspended following the strike in order to allow authorities to assess the damage and verify the safety of its facilities, disrupting flights and raising concerns about the safety of civil aviation amid escalating regional hostilities.
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According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, the 12 people killed included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi nationals and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan, BBC reported.
The reported death of a US citizen prompted a response from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who condemned the attack in a social media post. Rubio said that the incident demonstrated disregard for civilian life and called for the attacks to stop.
AP reported that a missile had struck the airport complex housing Terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights. The strike caused significant damage to airport infrastructure according to reports on the incident.
A Saudi-led military coalition has vowed to respond to the attack, which it has blamed on the Houthis and called a "war crime". The Houthis have not yet claimed the responsibility for the attack.
The attack came after several strikes targeting Riyadh's airport earlier in the week, including an attack on Thursday that killed three people. The Houthis had claimed responsibility for these attacks.
The suspension of airport operations following the strike disrupted air travel through the King Khalid International Airport, a major aviation hub in the Saudi capital. Flight tracking service FlightAware recorded 324 cancelled flights arriving at or departing from the airport on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump stated that Washington was considering whether to join Saudi Arabia's military campaign against the Houthis following the attack. "We may. We're gonna look at it," Trump said when asked whether the United States would participate in the conflict.
The latest airport attack comes amid a broader escalation in conflict involving Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. The attack has also added to concerns about the safety of civilian aviation in the region, with several Western diplomatic missions advising their citizens to avoid Riyadh airport.
The suspension of operations and the evolving security situation leave the outlook for flight services uncertain, with passengers being advised to check directly with the airlines for updated schedules.
ALSO READ: Houthis Escalate Attacks, Plane Hit At Riyadh Airport; Videos Surface Online
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