Riyadh Airport attack kills 12, including two Bangladeshis; 309 injured

Dhaka: A strike on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others on October 10, including two Bangladeshi nationals, according to Saudi civil aviation officials.

The casualties also included four Saudi citizens and nationals of the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Some of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Reports cited a diplomatic source attributing the attack to a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement. However, Saudi aviation authorities did not publicly identify those responsible in their statement.

Airport operations were suspended following the incident, while officials began assessing the damage. The attack also prompted health authorities to issue an emergency call for medical personnel to assist with the large number of casualties, according to a medical source.

The incident comes amid an escalation in attacks attributed to the Houthis against Saudi infrastructure, including airports and oil facilities, following the breakdown of a truce in the conflict involving Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

The attack has raised concerns about civilian safety and the security of critical transportation facilities. Several foreign embassies advised their citizens to stay away from the airport as authorities responded to the emergency.

The deaths of the two Bangladeshi nationals have added to concerns in Bangladesh over the safety of its citizens in Saudi Arabia. The full extent of the damage and the circumstances surrounding the strike remained under assessment.