On Saturday at least 12 people died in a missile attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh and 309 were injured, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority (Reuters, AP, Tagesschau, Die Zeit, Handelsblatt). On Sunday another unidentified projectile struck; according to 1News it hit the passenger terminal (BBC, PBS, 1News). The authority reports one dead and eleven injured for Sunday (FinancialJuice). The Houthis claimed responsibility and threaten further airlines (Reuters, Die Zeit, CBS). Dammam airport was also a target (Handelsblatt, FinancialJuice). Economy Minister Reiche could not leave Riyadh as planned (Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Handelsblatt).
With civilian airports, the Houthis are attacking Saudi Arabia’s transport and conference hub. Der Spiegel sees the danger of an open war. The longer airports are out of service, the greater the economic damage and the pressure to strike back.
If you are traveling to the Gulf region, check with your airline and the Foreign Office before the flight. The oil price may react on Monday, and with it heating oil and diesel.
Only a hard counterstrike shows the Houthis that attacks on civilian airports have a price.
Every further strike hits civilians and turns the Iran war into a war over the whole peninsula; only negotiations help.
We are watching three things: whether Riyadh airport reopens, what Washington does after “We are acting quickly,” and how the oil price starts into Monday. The Houthis’ Aramco claim remains a rumor until satellite images or Aramco itself confirm it.
Reuters · AP · Tagesschau · Der Spiegel · Die Zeit · Handelsblatt · BBC · PBS · CBS · 1News · FinancialJuice (all Oct. 10–11) · Aramco damage only per the Houthis
Houthis hit Riyadh airport a second time, terminal in flames, Economy Minister Reiche stuck there, Dammam also a target
After twelve deaths on Saturday, another projectile strikes the airport of the Saudi capital on Sunday. The Houthis threaten further attacks, and airlines and governments warn against travel. How Washington will respond remains open.
King Khalid Airport in Riyadh has been hit for the second time within two days. On Saturday, at least twelve people died in a missile attack, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority, and 309 were injured (Reuters, AP, Tagesschau, Die Zeit, Handelsblatt). On Sunday, another unidentified projectile struck, according to the Saudi-led military alliance (BBC, PBS, 1News). According to 1News and Detik, it hit the passenger terminal, where a fire broke out. The civil aviation authority reports one dead and eleven injured for Sunday (FinancialJuice); Indian media report the death of an Indian national (Hindustan Times, Livemint).
The first attack is regarded as the worst of its kind: Business Times calls it the deadliest Saudi attack in ten years, and the alliance speaks of a war crime (DW, Business Times). Many of the injured are foreigners, including, according to Economic Times, eleven Indians and, according to Inquirer, four Filipinos. Airlines cancelled connections. According to the Financial Times, oil company chiefs cancelled their attendance at an energy congress in Riyadh; the organizers had previously wanted to hold major conferences regardless (Reuters).
The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia in Yemen, claimed responsibility for the attacks (Reuters, Die Zeit). They also said they had hit the airport of Dammam and facilities of the oil company Aramco in the east of the country (FinancialJuice). The alliance reports an intercepted drone there; Handelsblatt and FinancialJuice confirm Dammam as a target. Damage to Aramco is not independently confirmed. The Houthis again warned airlines and travelers against using Saudi airports (Reuters, Die Zeit, CBS). According to Handelsblatt and Die Zeit, Saudi Arabia attacked the airport of Sanaa; according to Reuters, that report goes back to a television station run by the Houthis.
Germany is affected too. Economy Minister Katherina Reiche could not leave Riyadh as planned because of the attacks (Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Handelsblatt). The reports did not say how and when she will return. According to Der Spiegel, the federal government has advised against flights over Riyadh since Saturday. The British embassy warns against all non-essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and all Saudi airports except Medina (FinancialJuice, post on X); Canada advises against Riyadh airport (Global News).
US President Trump said after the first attack, according to Der Spiegel: “We are acting quickly.” Which steps he means was not reported. The Iran war remains the backdrop: Der Spiegel sees in the attacks the danger of an open war, SRF an attack on Saudi Arabia’s business model as a hub for travelers and conferences. According to Saudi state media, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran spoke about the situation (FinancialJuice).
Three things count for Monday: whether Riyadh airport reopens, how the oil price reacts, and whether Washington announces strikes. Saudi shares fell (Reuters), and the oil price rose in Sunday-evening trading (Bloomberg). The last market close was Friday: WTI $91.85, up 0.39 percent. Heating oil and diesel can get more expensive in Germany; Xetra opens at 9 a.m.