Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that an American citizen was among those killed after Iran-backed Houthi forces launched ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s main international airport over the weekend.
Rubio condemned the strikes in a statement posted on X, calling them attacks on innocent civilians and warning that they must stop.
“The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the terrorist Houthis, including today’s strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that took numerous innocent lives, including an American citizen,” Rubio wrote.
“These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now.”
He added that the United States stands with Saudi Arabia and offered condolences to the victims and their families.
The attacks struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday and Sunday, causing significant casualties and forcing major disruptions to air travel.
Saudi authorities said Saturday’s missile strike killed 13 people and injured more than 300.
A second attack Sunday killed another person and wounded 11 others.
The victims included Saudi citizens, foreign nationals and at least one American.
The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of Yemen and receives support from Iran, was blamed for the attack by the Saudi-led military coalition.
Saudi officials described the strike as a war crime and vowed a strong response.
The first missile hit an airport complex that includes terminals used for domestic travel.
The blast caused extensive damage and left hundreds of passengers and airport employees injured.
Some of those victims remained hospitalized in critical condition.
A second projectile hit the airport the following day, starting a fire and forcing aircraft to return to their gates.
Saudi authorities then began conducting damage assessments and security inspections.
Airport operations were suspended, leading to widespread cancellations.
The strikes were among the deadliest attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure in recent years.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States was considering whether to join Saudi Arabia in military action against the Houthis.
“We may. We’re gonna look at it,” Trump told reporters when asked whether American forces could become involved.
“We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision — we move very quickly.”
The possibility of direct U.S. military involvement now hangs over the region as tensions continue to rise.
The United States has previously carried out extensive operations against Houthi targets in Yemen, primarily in response to attacks threatening commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Trump, however, has generally shown reluctance to commit U.S. forces to another prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
The latest missile attacks could make that position more difficult to maintain.
The Houthis have stepped up attacks against Saudi Arabia as fighting intensifies between the rebel group and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Saudi-backed forces have carried out military operations against Houthi positions, including airstrikes on infrastructure used by the group.
In response, the Houthis have targeted Saudi airports, energy facilities and other strategic locations.
The group has also warned international airlines against operating in Saudi airspace, saying much of the country could be considered a military target, per the Conservative Brief.
The attacks also raise broader concerns about global energy markets.
The Houthis hold territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping corridor connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Any serious disruption in that area could further affect global oil shipments and commercial traffic already strained by instability across the region.
The aviation impact was immediate.
Nearly all scheduled flights at Riyadh’s airport were reportedly canceled Sunday as authorities worked to secure the area and inspect the damage.
With an American citizen now confirmed among the dead, pressure is growing on Washington to decide how far it is willing to go in response.
