Riyadh airport attack: Saudi Arabia investigates how Houthi missiles got through

Saudi Arabia has opened an investigation into how Houthi missiles and drones reached King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh despite its air defenses, the Associated Press reported on October 12, 2026. Two regional officials described a possible sequence of drones followed by cruise and ballistic missiles, but that account is preliminary. Investigators have not established why the attack was not stopped or why there was no earlier warning.

What happened at Riyadh airport?

A missile struck the airport’s domestic terminal complex on Saturday, October 10. At least 13 people died from that attack, including an Indian citizen who died of injuries the next day, and more than 300 were wounded. The Houthis, based in Yemen, claimed responsibility for attacks on the airport.

Another projectile struck the airport on Sunday, October 11, killing a Pakistani citizen and injuring 11 people, according to Saudi authorities. That was a separate attack; its death should not be added to Saturday’s toll when describing the Saturday strike alone.

How did the missiles and drones get through?

Two regional officials told the Associated Press that an initial probe indicated the Houthis launched multiple drones first, followed by a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh. One official said the investigation is also examining why the defenses gave no earlier warning as the weapons traveled more than 1,000 kilometers to the capital.

That sequence is an early account, not a completed finding. It does not yet show whether the problem lay in detecting the incoming weapons, warning of their approach, intercepting them, or a combination of factors. Nor has the investigation established that the drones caused the missiles to get through.

The Houthis have missiles capable of changing direction during flight, which can make interception harder. But the capability of those weapons alone does not explain what happened over Riyadh. Investigators still need to determine which weapons reached the airport and how the defenses responded.

Is King Khalid International Airport open?

The airport remained closed on Monday, October 12, and Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority had not announced when operations would resume. Travelers should check directly with their airline before going to the airport; an existing booking does not mean a flight is operating.

For more on the earlier attack and its effect on passengers, read NOWLIVO’s Riyadh airport attack and flight-status report.