American Killed in Houthi Missile Attack on Riyadh Airport as Trump Weighs Joining Saudi Strikes

An American citizen was among at least 12 people killed Saturday when missiles struck two domestic terminals at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Saturday night — as President Donald Trump said the United States may join Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis.

Rubio said the attacks “demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life” and “must stop now.” In a statement, he said the United States “stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people” and extended condolences to the victims and their families.

Trump told reporters Saturday night that he would speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the attack. Asked whether the U.S. military might join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, he replied, “We may,” adding that the administration had only just learned of the attack and would make a decision quickly. He called the strike “not acceptable.”

Third attack on the airport this week

The strike was the third on Riyadh’s main airport in a week and the deadliest inside the kingdom in more than a decade, according to media coverage. Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority temporarily suspended operations at the airport, and inbound flights were diverted or canceled, according to flight-tracking data.

The dead included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi nationals, and one citizen each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt, according to the civil aviation authority. Reuters reported that 309 people were injured. The Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen; coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki called the strike a “war crime” and pledged a “decisive” response.

There was no immediate formal Houthi claim of responsibility, though the head of the group’s media office wrote on X that it had “shut down” the airport and warned airlines against entering Saudi airspace. Hours after the attack, the coalition said it had intercepted a ballistic missile over Al-Kharj, southeast of Riyadh, near the Prince Sultan Air Base area. Houthi forces also killed two people in an attack on Abha airport earlier in the week, according to Rubio’s statement.

Washington weighs its options

Trump said the United States is “in communication” with the Houthis, though he did not elaborate. The Associated Press described the airport strike as the largest against a Gulf nation since the broader U.S.-Iran conflict began in February — a conflict that has raised the risk of American involvement in the regional fight.

U.S., Canadian and German diplomatic missions urged their citizens to avoid the airport or reconsider travel, advising passengers to check with their airlines.

Reporting based on coverage by the Washington Examiner and livemint.