According to Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority, at least 12 people were killed in a missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday evening by Yemen's Houthi movement Ansarallah. The attack brought airport operations to a standstill and escalated regional tensions to a new level.
According to IRNA's report, Saudi's civil aviation authority announced 12 dead and 309 wounded. By contrast, according to Hamshahri citing the New York Times, the total death and casualty toll was 62; this suggests roughly 50 wounded in addition to the 12 dead. The discrepancy between the two figures remains unconfirmed.
According to Ettelaat's Guardian-sourced report, a witness waiting at the airport told Agence France-Presse (AFP), "Gate 401 was hit, I saw the wounded before my eyes, everyone was running." More than a dozen ambulances were dispatched to the airport during the strike, and missiles also reportedly fell in the Taif city airport and areas near Jeddah the same day. EgyptAir suspended flights from Cairo and Alexandria to Riyadh pending further notice; Germany and Spain urged their nationals to stay away from the airport.
Muhammed al-Bokhaiti, a member of Ansarallah's political bureau, claimed responsibility to the New York Times, calling the strike a "response" to Saudi Arabia's attacks on civilian infrastructure. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that an American citizen was killed, described the attack as "hateful," and reaffirmed U.S. solidarity with Saudi Arabia. President Donald Trump told reporters he was evaluating whether the U.S. would join Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthis: "Maybe. We'll see. We just found out about the attack."
How the Persian press covered it
| Source (orientation) | Headline / framing |
|---|---|
| IRNA (state news agency) | Reported Saudi Civil Aviation figures straightforwardly: 12 dead, 309 wounded |
| Hamshahri (Tehran municipality, principlist) | Cited New York Times' figure of 62 total casualties; highlighted Ansarallah's claim of responsibility |
| Ettelaat (moderate-traditionalist) | Detailed the incident with Guardian-sourced eyewitness accounts; emphasized Trump's potential entry into the war |
| Iran International (opposition, diaspora) | Highlighted that an American citizen was among the casualties |
Context
The strike is the latest round of tit-for-tat attacks since the July collapse of the ceasefire between Ansarallah and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. According to Hamshahri, hours before Ansarallah's strike, Saudi warplanes hit Sana'a airport in Yemen's capital four times; Riyadh airport was struck for a second time this week. Fighting also continues around the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait in southern Yemen, with Saudi-backed forces claiming to have retaken half the region while Ansarallah denies the claim. The attack occurs during ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions and as U.S. midterm elections approach, heightening the question of whether the Trump administration will open a new military front. For other developments on this topic, see reports on Aramco and airport explosions in Riyadh and Houthi attack on Ras Tanura refinery.
