A suicide bomber detonated a device near a terminal gate at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, killing 12 passengers and injuring over 300, 11 of whom are Indian nationals. The blast shattered glass and sent a plume of smoke into the sky, prompting an immediate evacuation of the affected concourse.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the injuries and said it had begun liaising with Saudi security agencies and hospital staff to assess the condition of its citizens. Embassy officials, speaking under a press release, emphasized that they would issue further updates as more information becomes available.
This attack marks the third fatal strike on the airport in the past week, a pattern that has alarmed both civil aviation authorities and international observers. The blasts are widely attributed to the Houthi movement, which has been targeting Saudi infrastructure since the start of the Yemen conflict.
The escalation comes as U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on the same day that Washington might consider joining Saudi Arabia in its campaign against the rebels, a development that could disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and tighten the global oil supply chain.
The embassy’s swift response underscores the heightened concern for Indian travelers in the region, while the broader geopolitical fallout risks further destabilizing the already fragile Gulf security environment.