Saudi led coalition vows 'decisive response' after Houthi missile strike on Riyadh airport killed 12

Missiles struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday morning local time, hitting Terminals 3 and 4 of the terminal building and turning one of the busiest travel hubs in the Middle East into a scene of carnage. Saudi authorities said 12 people were killed and 309 wounded, some critically, as roofs and ceilings collapsed on travelers inside the terminals.

The dead included four Saudi citizens, two people from Bangladesh, and one each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attack Saturday night, saying the United States stands with Saudi Arabia and extending condolences to the victims and their families.

Saturday's attack was the third on the airport this week. Two earlier strikes on Thursday killed four people, damaged a parked Saudi commercial jet on the tarmac, and prompted the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to widen its warning for Saudi airspace. The aviation risk group OPSGROUP sent members a 'do not fly' recommendation for Saudi Arabia entirely. Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti claimed responsibility for the campaign, calling it retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. The coalition called the airport strike a 'full fledged war crime' and said the kingdom's military would respond.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday that Washington could join Saudi strikes on the Houthis in light of the airport attack. 'We may,' he said. 'We're going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack. So we'll make a decision. We move very quickly.' Trump added that he would speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that the United States is 'in communication' with the Houthis.

The attack was the deadliest to hit a Gulf Arab country since the broader war involving the United States and Israel against Iran began in February. Saudi and Qatari stock markets each fell about one percent on Sunday. Despite the strike, Saudi Arabia pressed ahead with the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, a major gathering of energy ministers and executives running through Thursday, while the kingdom's flagship 'Davos in the Desert' investment forum is still scheduled for October 26 to 29 with additional security.