An American citizen was among 12 people killed when a strike hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, Saudi officials said, in an attack that also injured more than 300 people and prompted a temporary shutdown of the facility. The Riyadh airport attack American killed detail was confirmed by Saudi officials as part of the broader death toll, according to CBS News.
The strike ranks as the deadliest to hit the kingdom in a decade, according to NBC News. Saudi Arabia’s government and its allies blamed Yemen’s Houthi movement for the attack, though the group had not immediately claimed responsibility, NBC News reported.
The Latest Confirmed Details
Saudi officials said the 12 people killed included one American, four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese national, according to CBS News. A total of 309 people were injured in the strike, with several in critical condition and receiving treatment at multiple hospitals, CBS News reported.
Saudi civil aviation authorities suspended operations at the airport through midnight following the attack. FlightAware data cited by CBS News showed at least 291 flights at the Riyadh airport were canceled over the prior 24 hours. The airport saw a heavy police presence after the strike, with all entrances blocked and the lights around the complex dimmed, CBS News reported.
Case Background
The attack came amid an escalating conflict tied to Yemen’s civil war. Earlier in the week, CNN reported on a pattern of deadly Houthi attacks targeting Saudi airports, describing a widening fallout from the fighting in Yemen. A statement cited by CNN warned that “the Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including against civilian airports, and the military conflict has the potential to escalate.” Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has issued statements addressing the attacks, according to CNN.
What Officials Have Said
Saudi Arabia’s government and its allies placed blame for Saturday’s strike on the Houthis, according to NBC News, though the group did not immediately claim responsibility. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis called the attack “a fully-fledged war crime” and vowed a strong response, NBC News reported.
International reaction followed quickly. Egypt said it stands firmly with Saudi Arabia and voiced strong condemnation of the attack. Qatar called the strike a grave violation of Saudi sovereignty and a direct threat to regional security. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also blamed the Houthis, calling the attack a violation of international law, according to NBC News.
What’s Next
No group has officially claimed responsibility for the strike, and Saudi authorities have not released additional details on the weapon used, the extent of damage to the airport or when normal flight operations will resume. The names of the 12 victims, including the American killed, have not been released. Total Apex Entertainment will follow official statements from Saudi authorities and international bodies as the investigation continues.
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