A deadly assault on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has intensified concerns over Saudi Arabia’s ability to protect critical infrastructure. Three people familiar with the incident told Reuters that Saturday’s attack killed 12 people and injured dozens. The figures have not been officially confirmed and may change.

Airport operations were temporarily halted, and flights were redirected or cancelled. Several Western diplomatic missions advised their citizens to avoid the airport and nearby areas.

The incident marks the third reported attack on the facility this week. Yemen’s Houthi movement, which receives support from Iran, claimed responsibility for two previous strikes but had not immediately taken responsibility for Saturday’s incident.

The repeated attacks come as Saudi Arabia conducts airstrikes against the Houthis in support of a Yemeni government offensive against the group. The latest violence has raised questions about the effectiveness of the kingdom’s air-defense and early-warning systems. Sources familiar with Saturday’s incident said no warning was issued before the strike.

Emergency crews transported casualties to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter. Some victims were reportedly in critical condition. Witnesses described seeing injured people inside the airport, while footage verified by Reuters showed emergency vehicles arriving at the scene. One injured traveler said an object had crossed the sky before part of a ceiling near a departure gate gave way.

Saudi authorities had not published an official casualty count at the time of reporting. The government’s media office did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The Houthi military spokesperson drew attention to an earlier social media message following the incident. The post had said that only previously approved humanitarian flights could land at Riyadh airport, ending with the words: “a reminder.”

Previous Houthi attacks this week reportedly killed four people and badly damaged a Saudi passenger aircraft.

Trump Weighs Possible U.S. Involvement

President Donald Trump was asked outside the White House whether the United States might join Saudi military operations against the Houthis.

“We ​may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.

The prospect of additional U.S. involvement comes amid an expanding security crisis linked to the conflict in Yemen and repeated threats to Saudi territory.

Airlines Suspend Service as Embassies Issue Warnings

The disruption extended across regional aviation networks. Flightradar24 data showed flights bound for Riyadh being cancelled or diverted, while Kuwait Airways announced that it was suspending service to and from the Saudi capital because of the “security situation.”

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also cancelled multiple services linking Riyadh with their respective hubs. Some cancellations were scheduled to continue into Monday.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said it was “aware of attacks” and “strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.”

British and Irish diplomatic missions reported a “serious incident” at the airport. Canada’s embassy separately warned that “ongoing military activity” was affecting airport operations.

The interruptions pose a challenge for Riyadh as it prepares to host major energy and investment gatherings. Despite Saturday’s attack, conference organizers said the events would continue according to schedule and sought to reassure prospective attendees about safety measures.

Conflict in Yemen Adds to Regional Uncertainty

The Houthis have urged airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, describing it as a military operations zone following a new offensive by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.

Developments on the ground in Yemen have also complicated the situation for forces aligned with Riyadh. The Houthis have tightened their encirclement of Taiz, the country’s third-largest city.

Saudi and Yemeni authorities, meanwhile, said their forces had regained control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime passage that the Houthis captured during a rapid advance last month.

The combination of attacks on Saudi infrastructure, aviation disruptions and shifting battlefield conditions underscores the growing regional consequences of the Yemen conflict.