Saudi aviation authorities confirmed that an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in one fatality and eleven injuries. Reuters reported that Terminal 4 was struck by an unknown projectile, which ignited a fire. Officials said this was the fifth time the airport had been hit since the previous Tuesday.
The incident followed another assault just a day earlier, which Saudi officials said was carried out by Iranian‑backed Houthi rebels. That earlier strike killed thirteen people and left more than three hundred injured.
The escalation coincides with intense fighting in Yemen, where Saudi‑backed forces have launched a counteroffensive against Sana’a‑aligned troops. In response to Saudi airstrikes, Yemeni armed forces issued warnings to air navigation companies and passengers, urging them to avoid Saudi airports. They went further, declaring Saudi airspace a military operations zone while carving out an exception for the airports serving Mecca and Medina.
A new attack attributed to Yemeni forces killed a Pakistani national and injured eleven others.
Saudi air defense said it intercepted a cruise missile near the airport and destroyed a drone in the eastern province. The intercept was part of the kingdom’s effort to blunt the barrage of projectiles aimed at its facilities.
A new attack attributed to Yemeni forces killed a Pakistani national and injured eleven others. The strike adds to a string of incidents that have also targeted Aramco installations. The victim’s nationality was highlighted by Saudi officials, who confirmed the death of the Pakistani citizen.
Following the violence, the British Embassy in Riyadh issued travel advisories for its citizens, urging caution when traveling to or through Saudi Arabia. The United States Federal Aviation Administration likewise warned US carriers and travelers to stay alert, reflecting concerns over the safety of civil aviation in the region.
Both the British diplomatic mission and the FAA framed their notices as precautionary measures, citing the recent spate of airport attacks and the declaration of parts of Saudi airspace as a military operations zone. The advisories did not affect flights to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, which were explicitly excluded from the military zone designation.
Authorities continue to assess the damage to Terminal 4 and investigate the origin of the projectile. While Saudi officials describe the attacks as part of a broader campaign by Yemeni forces, Houthi spokesmen have claimed responsibility for the strikes, echoing the statement attributed to Yahya Sari: “We have targeted Riyadh and Dammam.” The situation remains fluid, with airlines and passengers adjusting to the evolving risk environment.