Saudi Arabia confirmed further attacks on civilian airports on Sunday, October 11, 2026, a day after a deadly strike at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The death toll from Saturday’s attack rose to 13, according to Reuters, while the Saudi aviation authority reported fresh injuries in Sunday’s separate attack.
Updated October 12, 2026. This report distinguishes the October 10 casualty count from the October 11 incidents.
What happened at Riyadh airport?
The General Authority of Civil Aviation initially reported 12 deaths and 309 injuries after the October 10 attack. Some of those injured were in critical condition. On October 11, India’s embassy announced that an Indian national injured in that attack had died; Reuters subsequently reported a toll of 13.
In a later statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the authority confirmed another attack at King Khalid airport on Sunday afternoon. It reported injuries and ongoing damage and safety assessments, without giving a new casualty total. Those injuries are separate from Saturday’s figures.
Dammam: a second confirmed airport attack
Saudi authorities also confirmed an attack at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Sunday evening. Anadolu reported that damage assessments and safety inspections were under way. The announcement did not immediately establish the number of casualties or the extent of the damage.
Who claimed responsibility?
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the Saturday Riyadh strike and announced attacks on Saudi aviation and oil facilities. Saudi confirmation of the airport incidents should be distinguished from the group’s wider claims about oil installations; this report does not treat those additional claims as independently established.
What does this mean for flights?
Operations at Riyadh airport were suspended after Saturday’s attack. At the time of the reports reviewed for this article, assessments were continuing. The existence of a scheduled flight is therefore not enough to confirm that it will operate.
The U.S. mission advised its citizens to avoid King Khalid airport and surrounding areas and to check departure status directly with their airline and the airport. Travellers should also follow their own government’s current guidance and the Saudi authorities’ instructions, because cancellations and operational decisions can change quickly.
The essential timeline
- October 10: deadly attack at Riyadh airport; operations suspended.
- October 11: an injured Indian national’s death was announced; Reuters reported 13 deaths from the earlier attack.
- October 11: new injuries at Riyadh and a separate confirmed attack at Dammam airport, with assessments continuing.
The immediate questions are the updated casualty figures, the results of safety inspections and official decisions on flight operations. No reopening time is confirmed in the statements cited here.
Cover: AI-generated generic airport illustration, not a photograph of the attacks or the airports involved.
Sources
Saudi aviation authority statement via SPA · Reuters: Indian national’s death · Anadolu: Dammam and wider claims · U.S. mission security alert