Alarm bells are ringing among Saudi authorities as reports emerge of injuries following the second attack at Riyadh International Airport.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed that King Khalid International Airport was once again targeted this afternoon, following an attack on the airport yesterday that claimed the lives of 13 people.
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The new attack “resulted in several injuries,” the GACA said in its statement, without specifying the exact number. “Damage assessments and security inspections of the airport facilities are currently underway,” the statement added.
It should be noted that the attack was carried out by an “unknown projectile” targeting Terminal 4, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis.
The Houthis claimed responsibility
On Sunday afternoon, the Shiite group claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that it had targeted Riyadh Airport several times, as well as Saudi Arabian energy facilities.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said that the Iran-backed group “carried out four high-quality operations in the last 24 hours using ballistic and cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles,” according to AFP.
Sari noted that the group targeted Riyadh Airport multiple times, as well as the Dammam airport and two facilities belonging to Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, Aramco.
Trump: We are considering whether to intervene
For his part, U.S. President Donald Trump, stated that he is considering the possibility of supporting Saudi Arabia in potential military operations against the Houthis in Yemen.
Such a development could draw the U.S. into a second front in the conflict.
“Maybe. We’ll look into it,” Trump said on Saturday, responding to a question from reporters outside the White House regarding the possibility of the U.S. supporting Saudi attacks. “We’ve just been briefed on the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision and move very quickly,” he added.
Q: Have you decided whether to join the Saudi strikes on the Houthis?
Trump: We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack. We will make a decision. We move very quickly. https://t.co/u5RXXH7dB9
Advertisement— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 10, 2026
Two Saudi government officials told the U.S. network MS NOW that the kingdom is asking the U.S. for “urgent defensive support” following the attacks.
According to the two officials, one of whom is a senior official at the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “the U.S. should intervene ‘as soon as possible’ to help the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen confront the Houthis.”
However, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia ordered its staff to request permission to use the airports in Jeddah and Dammam, following a similar directive issued for Riyadh.
“U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use Riyadh International Airport, as well as the airports in Jeddah and Dammam,” the embassy said.
Death toll from Saturday’s Houthi strike rises to 13
Reports of the new strikes come one day after the Houthi attack on the Saudi airport, during which, according to local authorities, 12 people were killed and at least 309 were injured.
On Sunday afternoon, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh announced that the death toll had risen to 13 after an Indian citizen succumbed to his injuries.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased,” the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia told X. “We are in contact with the family to provide all necessary support and ensure the timely repatriation of the remains.”
Among the dead is 28-year-old Egyptian flight attendant Azza Ramzi, who worked for the airline Flynas, as well as Syrian Bouthaina Ahmad Oweida, a mother of four who had fled her country due to the civil war.
It has also been reported that an American citizen is among the dead, while a French woman is among the injured.
The Houthis reiterated their warning to airlines, airport employees, and travelers not to use airports in Saudi Arabia, stressing that the warning must be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bears responsibility for failed interception attempts.”
It is noted that the attack in Riyadh sparked international reactions, as the target was a civilian aviation facility. In fact, the Saudi leadership characterized the Houthis’ action as a “terrorist attack.”
These developments are heightening fears that the attacks will spread to critical infrastructure and civilian targets, as the conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi side enters a new, dangerous phase.
Source: iefimerida.gr
