United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday, 11 October strongly condemned the Houthi group's missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which reportedly killed 12 people and injured 309 others the previous day. The strike on a civilian passenger terminal marks one of the deadliest single attacks on Saudi infrastructure in the ongoing Yemen conflict.

What Guterres Said

'I am deeply shocked by and strongly condemn Saturday's lethal attack by the Houthis on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which reportedly killed 12 people and injured hundreds of civilians,' Guterres said in a statement. He added that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law and that 'these attacks must cease immediately.'

Casualty Details and Airport Status

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed on Sunday that the 12 fatalities comprised four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals — including two Bangladeshis and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan. Among the 309 injured, several are reportedly in serious condition and receiving treatment at multiple hospitals across the capital. Airport operations were temporarily suspended pending damage assessments and safety checks, the authority said.

Saudi Coalition Response

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen vowed a firm response on Sunday. Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said in a statement on his official account on X that the attack constitutes a war crime under international humanitarian law and its customary rules, describing it as a 'heinous act' that violates humanitarian principles, values, and morals.

Houthi Position After the Strike

In a statement issued after the attack, the Houthi group said it was ready for reciprocal measures with Saudi Arabia to keep airports, seaports, and other facilities with humanitarian functions outside the escalating military confrontation. Critics argue the offer rings hollow given that the group's own strike targeted a civilian passenger terminal. This comes amid a pattern of cross-border strikes on major airport infrastructure — both Yemeni and Saudi — that has intensified in recent months.

Broader Context

The attack reflects a dangerous escalation in a conflict that has drawn in regional powers and left Yemen on the brink of humanitarian collapse. Notably, strikes on civilian airports are explicitly prohibited under the Geneva Conventions when those facilities are in active civilian use. The UN Security Council has previously called for restraint, but ceasefires in the Yemen conflict have repeatedly broken down. The international community will be watching closely to see whether Guterres's condemnation — and the coalition's vow to respond — further inflames tensions or opens a window for de-escalation talks.