Houthi missile strike on Riyadh airport kills 12 and wounds more than 300, Saudi authorities say
Saudi authorities said 12 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday (AP, Reuters, Guardian, BBC, Financial Times, Mirror, FinancialJuice, New York Times). Operations were halted and airlines cancelled flights. The Saudi-led coalition blamed the Houthis, called it a war crime and said it intercepted a ballistic missile at al-Kharj. Rubio said an American was among the dead, Guterres condemned the attack, and Trump said he would take action. Separately, a tanker was reported hit in the Strait of Hormuz (FinancialJuice, citing UKMTO and Iran's Revolutionary Guards) and CENTCOM said a cargo ship was disabled in the Gulf of Oman.
Riyadh is the capital of the world's largest oil exporter. An attack on a major civilian airport raises the risk of wider conflict in the Gulf and of higher oil prices.
Markets reopen on Monday, and oil is likely to move first. Fuel prices in Ireland follow with a lag, and the extension of the excise cuts to February limits the immediate effect at the pump.
Saudi Arabia and its allies call it a war crime and want a strong response against the Houthis and their backers.
Iran-aligned forces frame their attacks as retaliation for the war, and diplomats fear escalation will close the gap for talks.
Watch Brent on Monday against US$100 and any US response. The death toll and the attribution come from Saudi authorities, and independent confirmation is still limited.
DailyDrop Ireland edition No. 7 · Morning · SUN., OCT. 11, 2026