Saudi stocks fall after Riyadh airport attack

An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. The casualty toll includes four Saudi citizens and several foreign nationals. Identified victims comprise two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. Hospitals are treating the injured, with some patients reported to be in critical condition.

The strike targeted the main airport serving Saudi Arabia’s capital, a key hub for both domestic and international air traffic. Civil aviation authorities did not assign blame for the attack in their initial statement. The incident drew immediate concern because of the airport’s central role in the country’s transport network and its proximity to critical economic and political institutions in Riyadh.

Following the attack, the General Authority of Civil Aviation temporarily suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport. The suspension was ordered to allow officials to conduct safety and damage assessments and to coordinate emergency responses. Authorities focused on securing affected areas, evaluating infrastructure damage and supporting medical evacuations for the wounded.

The halt in operations disrupted flights at one of the region’s busiest airports. While the statement did not detail the duration of the suspension, it underscored that activity would remain limited while technical teams completed their inspections. The temporary closure highlighted the immediate operational impact on aviation and passenger movements in and out of Riyadh.

Saudi equity markets opened lower after news of the airport attack, with the decline in stocks linked to the incident. The slide reflected investor concern over the strike’s implications for security and economic activity. The attack came as Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, was already closely watched by global markets.

The timing of the incident coincided with final preparations for a major international energy conference scheduled to begin in Riyadh. Despite the strike and its human and logistical toll, the energy ministry continued to promote the upcoming event in the hours after the attack. The juxtaposition of a mass-casualty incident and continued promotion of a flagship conference underscored the challenge of managing security shocks while maintaining economic and investment agendas.