Panic erupted inside Riyadh’s main international airport on Saturday as a missile strike slammed into the terminal. Newly released security footage captures the terrifying moment travellers and airport workers scrambled for safety during the sudden bombardment.
Two separate strikes hit King Khalid International Airport, leaving 14 people dead and injuring more than 300 others. The devastating assault caps off a week of intensifying aerial bombardments targeting key infrastructure across Saudi Arabia.
The CCTV video shows an ordinary day at the busy terminal turning into a scene of utter chaos within seconds. As the impact shook the building, people dropped to the floor, ducked behind check-in counters, and ran for the nearest exits. The blast shattered glass and filled the air with debris, leaving dozens wounded in the immediate vicinity. Security personnel can be seen trying to guide panicked passengers away from the windows as smoke began to billow through the terminal halls.
Houthis Claim Responsibility for the Assault
Yemen’s Houthi rebel group quickly claimed responsibility for the deadly strikes. According to Houthi officials, the assault on the capital’s airport was highly coordinated. They used a sophisticated mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and explosive-laden drones to bypass Saudi air defenses.
In the wake of the blasts, the rebel group issued a stark warning. They told commercial airlines and international travelers to avoid Saudi Arabian airports and airspace entirely, signaling that more strikes could occur without warning.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthis, announced that the group is actively expanding its campaign. He stated that the assault on Riyadh was just part of a broader offensive. The rebels also targeted oil installations and another major airport in Dammam, located in the eastern region of the kingdom, earlier in the week.
A Chilling Warning to Airlines
The weekend’s violence follows a series of drone and missile attacks earlier in the week. Saree made it clear that the group has no intention of backing down, promising more “escalating operations deep inside Saudi Arabia” in the coming days.
The rebel spokesman issued a chilling ultimatum, declaring almost all Saudi airports to be active military targets. The only exceptions, Saree noted, are the airfields serving the holy Islamic cities of Mecca and Medina.
This latest round of strikes represents a major escalation in the regional conflict. While the Houthis have launched cross-border attacks in the past, hitting the capital’s primary aviation hub with such devastating results marks a serious breach of Saudi security. The high casualty count and the sheer scale of the damage have put regional security forces and international aviation authorities on high alert.
As cleanup and rescue operations continue at King Khalid International Airport, flight schedules across the region are facing disruption. The direct threat to commercial flights has raised serious concerns about the safety of one of the Middle East’s busiest transit corridors, leaving travelers wary of flying into Saudi airspace.