On October 10, a deadly attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, claimed the lives of at least 12 people and left over 300 injured. Among the deceased were four Saudi citizens, along with individuals from Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Many of the injured were reportedly pilgrims heading to Mecca.

The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the casualties but did not officially assign blame for the attack, avoiding direct mention of the Houthis. However, diplomatic sources indicated that Houthi missiles struck the airport, leading to significant damage and chaos.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as the attack unfolded, with one individual recounting seeing injuries and people fleeing in terror. Following the incident, operations at the airport were suspended while authorities assessed the extent of the damage.

The U.S., Canadian, German, and Spanish embassies in Saudi Arabia advised their citizens to steer clear of the airport. A senior Western diplomat noted that some embassies had restricted their staff from using King Khalid International Airport in the aftermath of the attack.

Hours after the assault, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia reported an unidentified flying object falling near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, though details on potential damage or casualties were not immediately available. Early on October 11, the coalition announced it had intercepted a missile in southeastern Riyadh.

The conflict in Yemen has escalated since July, following the collapse of a UN-mediated ceasefire. Saudi Arabia has been involved in the Yemeni conflict since 2015, leading a coalition to counter Houthi forces that captured the capital, Sanaa, a year earlier. Despite a temporary agreement to freeze hostilities in 2022, the ceasefire broke down this summer, leading to renewed Houthi offensives.

As the situation develops, the Yemeni government has initiated a counter-offensive to reclaim territory lost to the Houthis, particularly in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait area. The ongoing conflict continues to threaten regional stability and disrupt energy supplies.