It is the deadliest strike in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war. A regional official, who spoke anonymously because they lacked authorization to talk to the media, said a missile hit an airport complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights. The authorities' statement did not assign blame.
The dead include four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. Citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. Several hospitals are treating the injured, and some are in critical condition.
This was one of several attacks on the airport in the past week. Strikes have also hit other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major offensive against the Houthis. The Iran-backed rebels have not commented on the airport attack, though they sometimes take days to claim responsibility. Earlier Saturday, they accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
The attack is expected to increase Saudi pressure on allies, including the United States, for military support. President Donald Trump said Saturday he is weighing whether to join Saudi strikes on the Houthis. "We may. We're going to look at it," he said.