Riyadh airport evacuations were reported on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after a suspected missile attack attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement reportedly injured dozens of people, raising fresh concerns about aviation safety in Saudi Arabia. The incident came just two days after three people were reportedly killed in attacks claimed by the Houthis at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
A diplomatic source said the airport had been targeted in another missile strike on Saturday. A source at a hospital in the Saudi capital told reporters that dozens of people had been injured, most of them Saudi nationals. At least five of the injured were reportedly treated in an intensive care unit.
Saudi authorities had not publicly confirmed the reported attack or the evacuation at the time of the report. However, witnesses described scenes of confusion inside the airport as passengers were reportedly moved away from affected areas. Airport officials urged travellers to check their flight status before proceeding with their journeys.
One passenger waiting to board a flight at the domestic terminal said they heard an explosion. Another witness said they saw a strike hit an area near Gate 401, where people were injured.
“I was on gate 403” at the domestic terminal, one witness said. “I saw 401 hit, I saw injured in front of my eyes. Everyone was running.”
The reports prompted several foreign embassies to issue warnings to their citizens. The embassies of the United States, Canada, Germany and Spain advised people to avoid the airport following reports of the attack.
Flight disruption was also reported across services to the Saudi capital. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, flights bound for Riyadh had been diverted or cancelled. Kuwait Airways separately announced that it had cancelled two services between Kuwait and Riyadh because of the security situation.
Security Alert: U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia (October 10, 2026)
The U.S. Mission is aware of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 and strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.
U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
U.S. citizens should be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions. We recommend checking your flight departure status directly with the airline and with the airport.
U.S. Government Employee Travel Restrictions:
U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to travel within 20 miles of the Yemen border due to safety risks and need special authorization for travel to the provinces of Jizan, Asir, Najran, and the cities of Qatif, Yanbu, and Taif.Read more: https://t.co/uBrNoUIE3W
— U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) October 10, 2026
In a statement published online on Saturday, the airline said flights KU775 from Kuwait to Riyadh and KU776 from Riyadh to Kuwait had been cancelled because the airport had closed amid the security concerns.
The latest incident follows Thursday’s reported attack, in which three people were killed in strikes claimed by the Houthis, according to the original report. The earlier incident had already prompted airlines to review their operations in Saudi Arabia.
Several carriers, including Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines, had suspended flights to and from Saudi airports following Thursday’s attack. The Houthis had also warned international airlines that they could face consequences for continuing to operate in Saudi airspace.
The developments come amid the continuing conflict in Yemen, where the Houthi movement is fighting forces aligned with the internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. Saudi infrastructure, including airports, oil facilities and tankers, has previously been targeted during the conflict.
The reported attacks and flight suspensions underline the potential consequences of the conflict for civilian aviation and international travel. However, details of Saturday’s incident, including the precise circumstances of the reported strike and the full extent of the injuries, remained unconfirmed by Saudi authorities in the source material provided.
