Saudis Blame Houthis for Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport That Killed 12, O

A missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday killed 12 people, including an American citizen. The Saudi-led coalition blamed the Iran-backed Houthis, the Yemeni militia that has repeatedly fired on Israeli territory during the current regional conflict. President Donald Trump said the United States may join Saudi strikes against the group.

Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority put the toll at 12 dead and 309 wounded. Several of the wounded are in critical condition. Two Western officials told Arutz Sheva that the figures were preliminary and could rise. They added that the kingdom's threat detection and warning system issued no alert before the missile hit.

The US Embassy in Riyadh said it was "aware of attacks" and "strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas." Other Western governments urged their citizens to stay away as well.

The Associated Press reported that, according to a regional official, the missile hit the complex that houses terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights. The AP reported that the strike was among the deadliest attacks in any Gulf Arab country in recent years. Four Saudis and two Bangladeshis were among the dead. One person each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan was also killed, along with a Palestinian. Ambulances and helicopters took the wounded to hospitals.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the strike. "These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now," Rubio said. Washington expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and offered condolences to the victims' families.

Reporters outside the White House asked Trump whether the US would join the Saudi strikes. "We may. We're going to look at it," Trump said. "We just found out about the recent attack, so we'll make a decision. We move very quickly."

The coalition called the strike a "fully-fledged war crime" and vowed a firm response. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Houthis | Bin Salman (Photo: Arab networks - Shutterstock)

Saturday's strike was the third attack on the airport in a week.

Regional officials told the AP last month that Saudi Arabia was running low on missile interceptors and had asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense support. Officials have also said American help has included sharing intelligence, identifying targets and planning for the coalition's current offensive against the Houthis. Later on Saturday, the coalition said it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile and that a projectile fell near Dammam airport, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The reports differ on their toll. Arutz Sheva said those attacks killed four people. Saudi Arabia's aviation authority said on Friday that Thursday's attacks hit airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft, killing three Saudi nationals, including a Saudia pilot.