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(https://www.france24.com/en/) Home   (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-caret-down)   (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/) Middle East     Saudi Arabia threatens 'decisive' response after Riyadh airport strike kills at least 12  Middle East   Saudi Arabia vowed to retaliate against Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday after a strike on Riyadh’s international airport killed a dozen people and wounded more than 300, marking the kingdom's deadliest strike in a decade.   Issued on: 11/10/2026 - 08:21  Modified: 11/10/2026 - 11:46   (Reading time) (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-clock)    3 min Reading time   Share (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-share)      By:  (https://www.france24.com/en/author/france-24/) (FRANCE 24) FRANCE 24       (Large plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 19, 2026.)  This file photo shows a plume of black smoke rising from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 19, 2026.        © Stringer, Reuters    The deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261010-riyadh-airport-suspends-operations-after-attack-leaves-multiple-people-wounded) killed 12 people at Riyadh's international airport and wounded hundreds, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to vow on Sunday a decisive response against (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/yemen/) Yemen 's (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/houthi-rebels/) Houthis . The coalition blamed the Iran-backed group for the strike on King Khalid International Airport, describing it as a "full-fledged war crime" that a diplomatic source attributed to a missile. Read more (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261010-riyadh-airport-suspends-operations-after-attack-leaves-multiple-people-wounded) At least twelve killed, multiple people wounded in attack on Riyadh airport  The attack came during (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261008-diplomats-school-pupils-take-shelter-in-saudi-capital-as-yemen-s-houthis-step-up-attacks) an unprecedented wave of Houthi strikes on the kingdom since a truce in the group's long-running war with (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/yemen/) Yemen 's Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July. The spiralling violence has raised the possibility of a wider escalation, with US President (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/donald-trump/) Donald Trump signalling Washington could join military action against the fighters. To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-check)    Manage my choices (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-edit)      One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again   ()  Cover image:                    © France 24  (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-play)        01:26   (Riyadh airport strike kills 12, Saudi Arabia threatens 'decisive' response)     One passenger told AFP they witnessed a strike in the airport's domestic terminal. "I was on gate 403," the witness said. "I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running." Four Saudi citizens were among those killed in the attack, as well as two Bangladeshis, one US citizen, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese, the kingdom's civil aviation authority said in a statement. It said some of the 309 wounded were in serious condition. Operations at the airport were suspended following the attack and authorities said damage assessments were ongoing. The attack prompted health officials to activate a rare mass call-up of doctors to deal with the "serious emergency situation", a medical source said. Two doctors told AFP that several pilgrims headed to (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/mecca/) Mecca were among the wounded. Schools in Riyadh switched to remote learning for the second time in a month. Parents in the capital received emails Sunday seen by AFP, citing an order from the education ministry, saying "all schools in Riyadh will switch to distance learning for the entire week". 'War crime'  "The cowardly terrorist attack by the Terrorist Houthi Militia... which resulted in deaths and injuries among civilian passengers and airport staff, constitutes a full-fledged war crime," coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said in a statement on X. Earlier, the coalition said it had intercepted missiles targeting (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/saudi-arabia/) Saudi Arabia and destroyed launch platforms. The Houthis claimed a series of attacks targeting the airport on Thursday that killed three people and damaged a plane, though they did not immediately take responsibility for any new strikes on Saturday. Saturday's attack was the deadliest in the kingdom since May 2015, when a suicide bombing by the (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/islamic-state-is-group/) Islamic State (IS) jihadist group killed 21 worshippers in a Shia mosque in the eastern Qatif governorate. The civil war in Yemen flared back to life in July after a four-year, UN-brokered (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/truce/) truce collapsed, months into a wider (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/middle-east/) Middle East war that has rocked the region and roiled energy supplies and markets. Saudi Arabia leads an international coalition that has supported Yemen's government militarily since 2015 and is now being drawn deeper into its impoverished neighbour's conflict. Asked on Saturday whether he had changed his mind about joining Saudi strikes on the group, Trump said: "We may." He said he would be speaking with (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman/) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , calling what happened in the kingdom "not acceptable". US media outlets have reported that previous Saudi requests for US military assistance in dealing with the Houthis have been rebuffed. Precautions  The US, Canadian, German and Spanish embassies in Saudi Arabia warned their citizens to avoid the airport.  A senior Western diplomat told AFP that several embassies were banning their staff from using the airport "over the next week". (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/pakistan/) Pakistan 's Prime Minister (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/shehbaz-sharif/) Shehbaz Sharif condemned the "heinous attack" and reaffirmed (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/islamabad/) Islamabad 's commitment to Saudi Arabia's security under their defence pact. The latest attack came on the eve of Saudi Arabia's high-profile convention and entertainment season, which begins this month. Riyadh usually hosts a packed calendar of events, including its flagship investment conference drawing foreign leaders and business titans. In Yemen, Saudi-supported government forces were advancing against the Houthis in areas the group captured last month around the Bab al-Mandab strait, military sources told AFP. The Yemeni government last week announced a counter-offensive aimed at retaking all areas held by the Houthis. The Houthis confirmed that government forces had attacked in the Bab al-Mandab area – a key chokepoint for (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/red-sea/) Red Sea oil and cargo shipping – but claimed to have repelled them. Claims by the warring parties have been impossible to independently verify, with the situation moving fast on the ground and access for journalists difficult. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)      Read next   (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261010-yemen-says-forces-made-advances-against-houthis-around-key-waterway) (This image was taken from an undated video released on October 5, 2026, by the Yemeni government-allied Southern Giants Brigades media office. The group says it shows its fighters exchanging fire with)   (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261010-yemen-says-forces-made-advances-against-houthis-around-key-waterway) (Yemen says advancing against Houthis around key Bab al-Mandab strait) Yemen says advancing against Houthis around key Bab al-Mandab strait    Middle East    (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261008-diplomats-school-pupils-take-shelter-in-saudi-capital-as-yemen-s-houthis-step-up-attacks) (Vehicles travel along a road as black smoke billows from a fire at an oil facility in an industrial area in southern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.)   (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261008-diplomats-school-pupils-take-shelter-in-saudi-capital-as-yemen-s-houthis-step-up-attacks) (Diplomats take shelter in Saudi capital as Yemen's Houthis target Riyadh airport) Diplomats take shelter in Saudi capital as Yemen's Houthis target Riyadh airport    Middle East   Includes a video  1 min         Today's top stories   (https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20261011-india-court-orders-release-of-cockroach-movement-leaders-after-detention) (India court orders release of 'cockroach' movement leaders after detention) India court orders release of 'cockroach' movement leaders after detention   Asia / Pacific     (https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20261011-live-saudi-arabia-vows-decisive-response-after-deadly-houthi-strike-on-riyadh-airport) (Live: Houthis renew threats against Saudi airports as Riyadh attack prompts wave of condemnation) Live: Houthis renew threats against Saudi airports as Riyadh attack prompts wave of condemnation  Live  Middle East     (20261011-riyadh-airport-strike-kills-12-saudi-arabia-threatens-decisive-response.html) (Saudi Arabia threatens 'decisive' response after Riyadh airport strike kills at least 12) Saudi Arabia threatens 'decisive' response after Riyadh airport strike kills at least 12   Middle East     (https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20261010-convicted-murderer-christa-pike-leaves-hospital-returns-to-prison-after-botched-execution) (Convicted murderer Christa Pike leaves hospital, returns to prison after botched execution) Convicted murderer Christa Pike leaves hospital, returns to prison after botched execution   Americas     (https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261011-spanish-pm-sanchez-kicks-off-election-campaign-amid-housing-crisis-protests) (Spanish PM Sanchez kicks off election campaign amid housing crisis protests) Spanish PM Sanchez kicks off election campaign amid housing crisis protests   Europe    Includes a video  3 min      Advertising (Report this ad) (/build/images/svg/sprite.68b43361c11f23b39049016b32e6ae31.svg#icon-report-ad)           Most read   1 (https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261009-south-africa-s-navanethem-navi-pillay-wins-2026-nobel-peace-prize) South Africa's Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize    Europe    Includes a video  17 min     2 (https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261009-trump-strikes-diesel-deal-with-putin-reversing-years-of-pressure-on-russia-over-ukraine-war) Trump strikes diesel deal with Putin, reversing years of pressure on Russia over Ukraine war    Europe    Includes a video  1 min     3 (https://www.france24.com/en/environment/20261009-france-s-seafood-problem-starts-elsewhere) France’s seafood problem starts elsewhere   Long read  Environment       4 (https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20261009-powerful-7-6-magnitude-quake-shakes-panama-triggering-tsunami-warning) Powerful 7.6 magnitude quake shakes Panama, triggering tsunami warnings    Americas       5 (https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261010-live-russian-strikes-on-ukraine-zaporizhzhia-kill-least-seven-including-children) Trump says Ukraine needs new president after Zelensky pushes back on diesel deal    Europe       6 (https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261009-israel-a-rare-dissenting-voice-as-praise-pours-in-for-nobel-peace-prize-winner-navi-pillay) Israel a rare dissenting voice as praise pours in for Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay    Europe    Includes a video  17 min       Keywords for this article   (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/saudi-arabia/) (Saudi Arabia) Saudi Arabia  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/houthi-rebels/) (Houthi rebels) Houthi rebels  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/attacks/) (attack) attack  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/yemen/) (Yemen) Yemen  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/civil-war/) (civil war) civil war  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/red-sea/) (Red Sea) Red Sea  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/aviation/) (aviation) aviation       Happening now (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/protest/) protest  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/french-student-protests/) French student protests  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/france/) France  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/education/) education  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/united-nations/) UN    International (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/usa/) USA  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/united-kingdom/) United Kingdom  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/canada/) Canada  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/australia/) Australia  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/germany/) Germany  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/india/) India  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/netherlands/) Netherlands  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/south-africa/) South Africa  (https://www.france24.com/en/tag/italy/) Italy      About France 24 (https://www.france24.com/en/about-us) Who are we?  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