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

Several Western and Asian governments have issued fresh travel warnings for Saudi Arabia after a series of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement struck airports in the kingdom, including a deadly assault on Riyadh's main international hub that left 13 people dead and more than 300 injured.

Australia and New Zealand on Monday advised their citizens to avoid King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital and to reconsider trips elsewhere in the country. The moves followed similar alerts from the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, South Korea, France and Germany. The advisories cite risks from further Houthi strikes, which the Iran-backed group has claimed in response to Saudi military operations in Yemen.

The most lethal attack occurred Saturday at King Khalid airport, where surveillance footage released by Saudi authorities shows passengers in the terminal reacting to a sudden blast that sent smoke and debris through the building. At least one American was among the dead, along with four Saudi nationals and citizens of Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and India. A follow-up strike on Sunday killed one more person and injured nearly a dozen others. The airport, hit four times in five days, remains closed.

Saudi officials have not detailed the full extent of damage or the status of ongoing investigations into how the projectiles penetrated air defenses. The kingdom maintains one of the world's largest defense budgets, yet repeated strikes have raised questions about the effectiveness of those systems during the ongoing regional conflict.

Global Affairs Canada has urged its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia. South Korea recommended that its nationals depart unless engaged in essential business. The US Embassy in Riyadh advised Americans to reconsider any travel to the kingdom, pointing to threats from Iran and its allies. New Zealand singled out the provinces of Najran, Jazan and Asir as areas to avoid entirely.

The attacks coincide with major international events hosted by Saudi Arabia, including the World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative. Saudi aviation authorities have extended flight suspensions at the affected airports while promising to bolster security measures.

Houthi leaders have vowed further operations, describing them as retaliation for Saudi-led military actions in Yemen that have continued for years. Iranian officials have called for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions. US President Donald Trump indicated Sunday that Washington may support Saudi responses to the strikes.

The string of warnings marks a notable shift in travel guidance for a country that has positioned itself as a hub for business and tourism. Multiple governments have stopped short of full evacuation orders but have made clear that commercial flights and airport facilities in the kingdom now carry elevated risks amid the widening confrontation.