Projectile hits passenger terminal in Riyadh again
A day after the deadly attack, another terminal has been hit, but nothing has yet been confirmed about casualties or responsibility.
Follow-up to: New attack on Riyadh airport claims twelve lives Sunday, 11 October 2026, 05:44
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A passenger terminal at Riyadh International Airport was hit by a projectile again on Sunday. The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen reported the incident; several hours later, there were still no details about casualties, damage or the projectile’s origin.
The new impact came a day after an attack on the same airport killed 12 people and injured 309, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority. The airport remained closed on Sunday. The earlier attack was therefore the deadliest at an airport in a Gulf state since the outbreak of the war with Iran, the Associated Press (AP) news agency said.
The airport affected is King Khalid International Airport, the main aviation hub of the Saudi capital. According to AP, the location hit again was the complex containing terminals 3 and 4, which are used for domestic flights. The authorities have not yet said whether flights can resume or how long the closure will last.
The coalition links the attack to the wider war in Yemen, where it is fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement. That is the coalition’s attribution; on Sunday, there was still no public claim of responsibility for the new impact. It has also not been disclosed whether the projectile was intercepted en route or hit the target directly.
The new attack increases pressure on Saudi Arabia to respond to attacks that no longer appear to be targeting only military sites. The escalation is also taking place as US President Donald Trump has said he is considering US involvement in Saudi attacks. The White House had not yet issued a substantive response to the new impact on Sunday.
For travellers, the main issue is the operational uncertainty. After the earlier attack, the Saudi aviation authority said the airport had been temporarily closed to assess the damage and safety. Until a new safety statement or flight schedule is published, it remains unclear when air traffic will return. Regardless of those practical consequences, responsibility for the new attack remains unclear.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A projectile hit a passenger terminal at Riyadh airport again on Sunday.
- The airport was still closed on Sunday.
- At the time of publication, there was no clarity about casualties, damage or responsibility.
- According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, the earlier attack killed 12 people and injured 309.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that attacks on civil aviation and travellers must not be normalised and that further military escalation could worsen civilian safety.
Values Protection of civilians, international law and restraint in the use of military force.
Consequences Fears the war will expand, causing more casualties and prolonged disruption to regional connections.
Centre
Arguments Sees a need first for an independent determination of the perpetrator, damage and risks before deciding on a military response.
Values Facts, proportionality, regional stability and protection of infrastructure.
Consequences Emphasises that a response may be necessary, but that unclear information and retaliatory action could cause further escalation.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that repeated attacks on a strategic airport require credible deterrence and robust defence.
Values National security, protection of civilians and a state’s right to defend itself.
Consequences Fears that restraint will invite further attacks, but accepts the risk of deeper military involvement.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core is based on a current AP report and a Saudi source concerning the earlier attack. Unknown elements are explicitly described as unconfirmed.
- confirmed A passenger terminal at Riyadh airport was hit by a projectile again on Sunday. — Reported by AP on 11 October 2026, based on the Saudi-led coalition. source
- confirmed The airport remained closed on Sunday. — AP reported that the airport was still closed on Sunday. source
- confirmed Twelve people were killed and 309 injured in the earlier attack. — The Saudi civil aviation authority reported these figures; Saudi Gazette published the statement. source
- confirmed There was still no public claim of responsibility for the new attack on Sunday. — AP wrote that there had been no immediate claim. source
- confirmed Trump considered US involvement in Saudi attacks. — AP mentioned this as context for the new escalation. source
Editor's note
It is certain that AP reported that a projectile hit a passenger terminal on Sunday and that the airport remained closed. The identity of the perpetrator, the number of casualties and the extent of the damage were unknown at the time of publication.Sources
The story so far
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 13:42 Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport kill three
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 05:43 Saudi Arabia launches offensive against Houthis
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 18:48 Riyadh Airport attacked again, flights cancelled
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 23:45 More wounded in attack on Riyadh airport
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 05:44 New attack on Riyadh airport claims twelve lives
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 12:46 Riyadh keeps airport closed after deadly attack
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 15:58 Report: child killed after Saudi strike on Sanaa
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 16:28 Trump considers US role in Saudi attacks
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 18:04 Projectile hits passenger terminal in Riyadh again (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „riyad saudi-arabië”
- RTL Nieuws — „riyad saudi-arabië”
- NOS — „riyad saudi-arabië”