Summary

  • Yemen's Houthis warn aviation firms and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace, after 12 people were killed in an attack on the international airport in Riyadh

  • More than 300 were injured in Saturday's attack on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia

  • The Houthi statement on Sunday did not directly refer to Saturday's attack - but the Iran-backed group previously did say they were behind separate strikes on the same airport on Thursday

  • Four Saudis, two people from Bangladesh and one person each from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt were killed, the Saudi civil aviation authority says

  • "Everyone was running," an eyewitness who was at the airport says - video footage shows smoke rising after the attack

  • The physical damage can be quickly repaired, but Saudi Arabia's reputation as a safe haven of stability is taking a battering, writes our security correspondent

Media caption,
Watch: The scene at Riyadh international airport after strike
  1. Iraq 'rejects any escalation' in conflictpublished at 10:40 BST

    Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stands at a podium wearing a grey suit and a red tie.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi

    The prime minister of Iraq's office has issued a statement condemning the attack on the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

    The attack resulted in an "undermining of regional security and stability", it says in a statement from the armed forces spokesperson.

    It says Iraq "rejects any escalation in military action and acts of aggression", because it "further entrenches disputes and has negative repercussions for peace".

    "Iraq has consistently supported dialogue and understanding as an alternative to military or violent action", it says.

  2. Saturday's attack latest in series targeting Saudi airportspublished at 10:17 BST

    Smoke and flames seen at King Khalid airport in Riyadh, 8 OctImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Smoke and flames seen at King Khalid airport in Riyadh, 8 Oct

    Saturday's attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is the latest in a spate of attacks on Saudi Arabia.

    On 8 October, the same airport was subject to two attacks that killed three Saudi Arabian nationals, the civil aviation authority said.

    It added that the first attack on Thursday targeted the airport while the second had struck an aircraft belonging to state carrier Saudia. Yemen's Houthi group said it attacked the airport with cruise missiles.

    There were also attacks at two other Saudi airports on the 6 and 7 October.

    Two were killed and 28 wounded in an attack at Abha International Airport, the civil aviation body said on Wednesday. Another person was killed at King Khalid airport in Riyadh. Authorities did not confirm which attack took place on which day.

  3. Analysis

    Not since the mid-2000s has Saudi Arabia faced such a serious threatpublished at 10:08 BST

    Frank Gardner
    Security correspondent

    Saudi Arabia wasn’t ready for this.

    The Houthis’ attacks over the past few days have hit the country’s critical infrastructure in the form of the capital’s main airport, apparently penetrating Saudi air defences with ease.

    The physical damage can be quickly repaired, but the country’s reputation as a safe haven of stability is taking a battering.

    Not since the al-Qaeda insurgency of the mid-2000s has the kingdom faced such a serious threat. The Saudi government overcame that challenge through an effective hearts-and-minds campaign.

    Then it weathered the Arab Spring uprisings around the region which saw off leaders in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen. It even shrugged off - with some annoyance - an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Riyadh in March.

    But this is different. Saudi Arabia may have one of the most powerful air forces in the Middle East - it has been carrying out devastating air strikes on Houthi positions - but the Houthis know exactly where to hit back: at the soft underbelly of the Saudi economy.

    From Jizan on the Red Sea to the petrochemical complex at Khurais, the Iran-backed Houthis are delivering explosive drones and missiles with deadly accuracy.

    This war now looks like it will intensify before it ends in another shaky truce.

  4. 'A dangerous escalation' - reaction from Europepublished at 09:45 BST

    European Commission President Ursula von der LeyenImage source, Getty Images

    Some more reaction now from leaders across Europe.

    EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the attack "marks a dangerous escalation".

    In a post on X, she adds: "We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its people."

    UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband says he is "appalled" by the attack, adding "we stand in solidarity with those affected".

    He advises British nationals to avoid the airport and follow the government's travel advice, external and that of Saudi authorities.

  5. UK could 'potentially' provide more support for Saudi Arabia - defence secretarypublished at 09:21 BST

    Wes Streeting sat in a seat on set of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, wearing a blue suit and tie.

    UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting says the UK is already supporting Saudi Arabia with air-to-air refuelling support.

    Asked on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme if the UK's support could go further following last night's deadly attack, he says "potentially".

    Streeting added that in the context of Houthi attacks and an escalation, the attack last night on a civilian target "cannot be justified under any circumstances".

    When pushed on whether the UK would get involved in offensive operations - as President Donald Trump has suggested the US may do - he says that is "not what we're looking at at this stage".

    "We've always been clear that there isn't a military solution to this conflict," the defence secretary adds.

  6. Attack condemned as 'violation of international law' by UN headpublished at 09:11 BST

    Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres wears a black suit jacket and blue shirt with a pink tie. He has short grey hair.Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
    Image caption,

    Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres

    Multiple countries and world leaders have condemned Saturday's attack on Riyadh's international airport.

    Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres says he is "deeply shocked" at the attacks, which he calls "a violation of international law".

    The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif condemns the "heinous attack" and calls it a "serious threat to regional peace and stability".

    Egypt says it "stands firmly" with Saudi Arabia, expressing "strong condemnation" for the "continued attacks on the territory".

    While Qatar calls the attack "a grave violation of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional security" and the "safety of civilians". It adds that "the security of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of Qatar's security", and "collective" security system of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - a regional alliance of six Arab nations.

  7. Energy conference near airport to go ahead despite attackpublished at 08:52 BST

    An energy conference being hosted close to King Khalid International Airport is set to go ahead despite Saturday's deadly attack.

    The WPC Energy conference, which will run from today until 15 October, posted on X "the stage is set. Riyadh is ready."

    The energy ministry in Saudi Arabia said "today, the events of the World Petroleum Conference kick off in Riyadh".

  8. Houthis issue warning against using Saudi airports and airspacepublished at 08:35 BST
    Breaking

    Yemen's Houthis have issued a new warning to all airline companies to not use Saudi airports.

    In a statement put out by the group's military spokesman, Yahya Saree, the Iran-backed group "reiterate their warning... against using Saudi airports and airspace".

    This is because "they are potential targets and sites for operations by our forces".

    Saree says that Mecca and Medina are excepted from this.

    The armed political and religious group from northern Yemen urges "everyone to take our warnings seriously", and says that Saudi Arabia "bears responsibility" for failed attempts at interception.

  9. Trump says US may join Saudi Arabia in attacks on Houthispublished at 08:13 BST

    US President Donald Trump in a black suit and red tie, he is waving at the camera with a neutral expression on his face.Image source, Getty Images

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia as he confirmed an American citizen was killed in the strikes.

    Later, US President Donald Trump was asked whether the US planned to join Saudi Arabia in carrying out strikes against the Houthis.

    He said: "We may. We're going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we'll make a decision. We move very quickly."

  10. The deadliest attack on a Gulf state since start of Iran warpublished at 07:57 BST

    Jon Donnison
    Middle East correspondent

    In the Saudi capital, hospitals were overwhelmed with casualties.

    Smoke billowed above the airport terminal and inside there was widespread damage.

    This is the deadliest single attack on a Gulf Arab country since the war between Israel, the United states and Iran began in February.

    The civil war in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi backed internationally recognised government has been going on for more than a decade.

    But in recent weeks The Houthis which are supported by Iran have stepped up attacks against Saudi Arabia. President Trump called the attack terrible and said the US may now intervene.

    It comes amid fears that the US and Israel might be about to resume strikes against Iran.

    Efforts to secure a deal to end that conflict, which has sent shockwaves through the global economy, have come to nothing.

    The Houthis have not commented since Saturday's attack but did say they were behind separate strikes on the same airport on Thursday that killed three people and damaged a plane.

  11. Watch: The scene after Riyadh airport strikepublished at 07:45 BST

  12. Twelve killed and 300 injured in attack on airport in Saudi capital Riyadhpublished at 07:45 BST

    Matt Spivey
    Live editor

    At least 12 people have been killed and 309 injured in Saturday's attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Four Saudi nationals, two people from Bangladesh and one person each from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt are among the dead, the Saudi civil aviation authority confirmed.

    The authority added that some of the injured were "in critical condition".

    A Saudi-led military coalition later vowed to respond to the attack, which it called a "war crime" and blamed on Yemen's Houthis.

    The attack was the deadliest in the kingdom since May 2015.