Saudi Arabia suspends Riyadh airport after another attack wounds several people
On Saturday, October 10, 2026, an attack on Riyadh's airport followed the killing of a Sudanese national there on Wednesday and three Saudi citizens on Thursday, and no group had immediately claimed it.
Key takeaways
Saudi Arabia suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh's main airport, on Saturday afternoon in Riyadh after another attack wounded several people, the kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation said.
On Wednesday, an attack at the airport killed a Sudanese national, the authority said. On Friday it said two attacks on Thursday had killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, and had targeted the airport and an aircraft of Saudia, the national carrier. It said then that operations had returned to normal.
On Saturday, the authority said the number of injured was still being assessed.
"Operations at the airport have been temporarily suspended pending a full damage assessment and verification of the safety of its facilities, in coordination with the relevant authorities," the authority said.
Two regional officials told the Associated Press the airport was evacuated. One of them said a missile struck a passenger terminal. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
Reuters quoted one eyewitness who saw an explosion and then people lying injured inside the airport. More than a dozen ambulances were seen heading to the airport, Reuters reported.
The Associated Press reported that Yemen's Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group in neighboring Yemen, claimed the attacks earlier this week. They have told airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, calling it a zone of military operations after a Saudi-backed offensive against them earlier this month, Reuters reported.
Reuters and the Associated Press reported no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday's strike.
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed all flights to Riyadh diverted or canceled, Reuters reported. Kuwait Airways said it canceled its Saturday flights to and from Riyadh because the airport was closed over the "security situation." Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways had canceled multiple Riyadh flights, some of them into Monday, October 12, after the attacks on the airport this week.
"The U.S. Mission is aware of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 and strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas," the U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia said.
The Saudi exchange opens first
Organisers of the World Petroleum Congress said Saturday that the event, set to host oil executives and policymakers in Riyadh from Sunday, October 11, to Thursday, would go ahead as planned, Reuters reported.
CME Group's West Texas Intermediate crude futures, the U.S. benchmark, do not reopen until 6 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, October 11. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF KSA, which holds Saudi shares, and the United States Oil Fund, LP USO, which holds near-term West Texas Intermediate futures, do not trade until Monday, October 12.
The Saudi Exchange opens before those markets, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 11, in Riyadh, which is 3 a.m. Eastern time.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Riyadh's airport still closed?
The General Authority of Civil Aviation said operations were temporarily suspended pending a damage assessment and safety checks.
Has any group claimed Saturday's attack?
Reuters and the Associated Press reported no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday's strike.
What happened in the attacks earlier this week?
Wednesday's attack killed a Sudanese national, and Thursday's attacks killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot.
When do Saudi shares and the oil funds trade?
The Saudi Exchange opens at 10 a.m. Sunday in Riyadh, while KSA and USO do not trade until Monday.
