Riyadh airport strike kills 12, including as Trump weighs US intervention

Saudi Arabia and Washington blame the Houthis for the deadly attack, but the group had not claimed responsibility for Saturday’s strike, according to reports by some international outlets

A strike on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, killed 12 people and injured 309 others on Saturday, according to the kingdom’s civil aviation authority. The dead included two Bangladeshi nationals, alongside citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The attack has intensified concerns about the widening conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement, while raising the prospect of greater US military involvement. President Donald Trump said Washington was considering whether to join Saudi operations against the Houthis.

Responsibility remains an important distinction. Saudi Arabia blamed the Houthis for the strike, and the US government condemned what it described as Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure. However, the Associated Press and CBS News reported that the group had not claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack at the time of their reports, despite claiming earlier strikes against Saudi targets. Reuters also reported the Saudi authorities’ casualty figures and attribution. The distinction matters: the accusation is confirmed as an official position, but it should not be confused with an independently established account of responsibility.

Trump described the attack as “terrible” and said he expected to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Asked whether the United States might join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, he replied that it might, adding that his administration would make a decision quickly.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attacks and said an American had been killed. Washington expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia as the possibility of direct US involvement became a central concern in the crisis.

Trump’s remarks signal that the attack could have consequences beyond Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Any decision to join the military campaign would risk widening the confrontation and increasing pressure on efforts to contain the conflict.

Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen, described attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia as a “grave escalation”. He warned that such actions threatened regional security, perpetuated cycles of violence and made peace efforts in Yemen more difficult.

Egypt, Qatar, Palestine and Japan also condemned the attacks, according to the statements reported by Al Jazeera. Qatar said strikes on civilian facilities threatened Saudi sovereignty, public safety and air navigation.

The international response has focused on civilian protection and the danger of further escalation. But condemnation alone may do little to reduce the risk of retaliation if the parties continue to expand their military operations.

The airport strike comes amid intensifying fighting between Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Houthis, who control significant territory in the country. Saudi Arabia backs the Yemeni government and has conducted military operations against the group.

Repeated attacks on aviation infrastructure threaten passenger safety and can disrupt regional travel. The broader conflict also carries risks for shipping and trade, given Yemen’s position near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

For Bangladesh, the deaths of two nationals add a direct human dimension to the crisis. The Saudi civil aviation authority’s reported figures establish their inclusion among the fatalities, although their identities and personal circumstances should be confirmed through official Bangladeshi channels before further details are published.

The immediate challenge is to establish accountability for the airport strike while preventing further attacks on civilians and avoiding a broader regional war.

Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; CBS News; Al Jazeera; Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.