Second strike hits Riyadh airport as authorities inspect injuries and damage

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was attacked again on Sunday afternoon and that people were injured. It said officials were still assessing damage and checking the safety of airport facilities. The Saudi-led coalition said an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 and started a fire. The origin of Sunday’s projectile was not established in the statements reviewed.

Two separate attacks

The Sunday strike followed a missile attack on Saturday. Saudi aviation authorities initially reported 12 deaths and 309 injuries from that earlier incident. Associated Press later reported that India’s embassy said one of its citizens died of Saturday’s injuries on Sunday, which would raise that attack’s toll to 13. None of those deaths should be assigned to the new Sunday strike.

Why it matters

Repeated strikes on a civilian airport put passengers, workers and flight operations at risk amid the escalation linked to fighting in Yemen. The immediate questions are the confirmed injury count for Sunday, the extent of damage and when the airport can operate safely. Official inspections were still under way in the latest aviation-authority statement reviewed.

About the photograph

The archive photograph shows a domestic-departures entrance at King Khalid International Airport in August 2019. It does not show the October 2026 attacks or the Terminal 4 fire.