A Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh late Thursday killed three people, including a pilot for Saudi Arabia's national carrier Saudia, Fox News reported.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement from Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, which also damaged a Saudia aircraft parked on the tarmac. No passengers were aboard at the time.
The strike carries direct implications for Bangladesh. King Khalid International is the primary gateway to the Saudi capital for hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi workers whose remittances underpin the national economy, and the attack comes as a parallel campaign against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz threatens the oil flows that Bangladesh, a net energy importer, relies on.
Who was killed in the Riyadh airport attack?
The fatalities included Captain Hamud Ali Al-Kalthami, a Saudi national who died in the incident on October 8, 2026. Saudia confirmed the loss in a statement posted Friday on X, formerly Twitter, honoring his memory and extending condolences to his family and colleagues. The airline described him as a dedicated professional who left a lasting mark on the carrier.
The Houthis announced Thursday they had targeted the airport. The extent of damage to airport operations and flight schedules — a pressing question for expatriate workers and their families — had not been detailed by Friday.
International condemnation of Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X that the group had "once again attacked Riyadh airport, taking the lives of three innocent people." She expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners, called attacks on civilian infrastructure unacceptable and demanded that Iran's proxies cease their violent actions.
Turkey's ministry of foreign affairs on Friday condemned the strikes on two Saudi airports. "We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks carried out by the Houthis on Abha International Airport in the south of Saudi Arabia and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh," the ministry said, noting the attacks killed three Saudis.
"These attacks, which targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure and further escalate tensions in the region, must cease immediately," the ministry added.
Yemen offensive and Bab al-Mandab claim
The airport strike coincides with a major escalation by Yemen's internationally recognized government. On Wednesday, the military launched an operation dubbed "Dawn of Yemen," reporting 2,103 targeted operations that it said "neutralized" 1,860 Houthi fighters and destroyed hundreds of military positions and equipment.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said separately that 82 targets were hit across Saada, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib, including 11 ballistic missile storage facilities in mountainous areas. Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber declared Friday that the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the chokepoint at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, had been cleared of remaining Houthi elements.
Strait of Hormuz ship attacks put oil supply at risk
Commercial shipping is simultaneously facing heightened danger in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage through which about a fifth of global oil supply flows. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center reported Friday that an unknown projectile struck a vessel 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazirah Al Hamra in the United Arab Emirates, sparking a fire that was later contained.
UKMTO's weekly advisory noted at least 10 ships targeted in the strait this week alone. Since July 6, 59 incidents involving commercial vessels have been recorded, 41 of them off Oman's coast. The threat level is rated "severe" in the Strait of Hormuz and "moderate" in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
According to the U.S. Naval Institute, 11 ships have been struck in the strait or off Oman so far in October, most of them crude oil tankers. Sept. 28 through Oct. 6 saw the highest weekly total, with 12 attacks, USNI said.
Both Iran and the United States have been striking ships, with the Pentagon saying it has hit vessels that violated the blockade or that are helping Iran, Fox News reported.
What it means for Bangladeshi workers and fuel prices
Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi workers live in Saudi Arabia, and disruption at Riyadh's main airport could affect flight schedules and the movement of workers and families. Sustained attacks on shipping through Hormuz threaten global oil supplies, potentially driving up import costs and consumer prices in Bangladesh.
Diplomatic efforts are moving in parallel. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war in Iran in a Friday phone call, the Kremlin said. Trump announced that Putin had agreed to eventually release millions of tons of diesel into the global market as prices soar, starting with 300,000 tons "immediately."
"I am convinced this will have a positive impact on the entire global economy," Putin said in a statement confirming Russia's willingness to supply oil and petroleum products to global markets.
Trump, however, played down Iran's capacity to respond. "They have no military. They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no anti-aircraft," he said Friday. Bloomberg reported the same day, citing officials familiar with the matter, that Iran retains factories and the capability to manufacture missiles and drones despite repeated U.S. and Israeli bombing. Trump also said this week that the U.S. would not launch another attack on Iran before the midterms.
Putin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Turkmenistan this week, offering mediation, while indirect talks between Tehran and Washington continue in Oman. Whether the Houthis attempt further strikes on Saudi airports — and whether the promised Russian diesel releases materialize to ease prices — remain open questions.