Houthi strikes kill 13 at Riyadh airport, trigger global travel alerts

Several countries including the United States Australia Canada Britain Japan South Korea and New Zealand have told their citizens to steer clear of Saudi Arabia or at least its main airports after a series of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. The strikes have killed at least 13 people including one American and injured more than 300 others according to Saudi officials and reports from the scene.

Surveillance video released by the Saudi Media Ministry shows the chaos inside the terminal on Saturday when a projectile slammed into the building. Travelers standing in line suddenly scattered as smoke and flames erupted and pieces of the ceiling fell. Airport staff ducked under desks while passengers rushed past security checkpoints. The airport which has faced four strikes in five days remains closed after the deadliest attack yet on a Gulf Arab nation since the broader conflict involving Iran escalated.

The Houthi group which is backed by Iran has claimed responsibility for the barrage. Earlier strikes on Sunday killed one more person and wounded nearly a dozen. Saudi authorities have not detailed how the projectiles penetrated defenses despite the kingdom's heavy military spending. The attacks come while Riyadh hosts major international energy and investment conferences raising questions about the stability of a key US ally in the region.

The US Embassy in Riyadh advised American citizens to reconsider travel to the kingdom citing threats from Iran and its Houthi proxies. Australia and New Zealand specifically flagged King Khalid airport and urged people to avoid nonessential trips to the country altogether. Canada recommended against any nonessential travel to Saudi territory while South Korea told its citizens already there to leave unless on essential business. Britain France Germany and Japan issued similar cautions.

One American was among the dead along with victims from Saudi Arabia Bangladesh Egypt Jordan Palestine Syria Sudan and India. Their names have not been released. The incident marks another American life lost in a conflict far from US shores where proxy forces tied to Iran continue to test regional defenses.

President Trump indicated the United States might support Saudi retaliation against the Houthis though details remain unclear. This comes amid ongoing questions about the value of deep US entanglement in Middle East disputes that have drained resources and claimed lives without clear resolution. The Houthi campaign highlights how Iran continues to project power through allies even as sanctions and past deals have failed to curb its influence.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated criticism for its own military performance in Yemen yet it remains a central player in global oil markets and a partner in countering Iranian expansion. The travel advisories from multiple Western governments signal that private citizens and businesses are being told to weigh the risks themselves rather than rely on assurances of safety. With the airport shut and further strikes reported the immediate fallout includes disrupted flights and postponed events that were meant to showcase the kingdom's economic ambitions.

The broader pattern shows how conflicts involving Iran-backed groups keep drawing in outside powers and endangering travelers and workers from many nations. For Americans the death at Riyadh airport serves as a reminder that involvement in these disputes carries direct costs that policies focused on national interests must account for carefully.