DOMINANT ANGLE
Paris is tallying the victims of the Riyadh airport incident by nationality, based on Saudi sources and AFP dispatches, before relaying American and Pakistani reactions.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Twelve dead (four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Argentine, one Syrian, one Palestinian, one Sudanese) and 309 injured, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority.
- 02
Deadliest attack in the kingdom since August 2015 and the Abha bombing (15 dead), recall Le Monde and France 24.
- 03
Donald Trump deems the attack "not acceptable"; the Saudi coalition calls it a "war crime" and promises to respond.
ANALYSIS
Paris, October 11, 2026. The French press reports on the attack on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport, first focusing on the human toll, then on the international repercussions. According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, cited by Le Monde and France 24, the attack on Saturday, October 10, resulted in twelve deaths and 309 injuries, including some serious cases. The victims include four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Argentine, one Syrian, one Palestinian, and one Sudanese. The two outlets recall that this is the deadliest attack in the kingdom since August 2015, when an Islamic State attack killed fifteen people in a mosque in Abha.
The account follows the thread of AFP dispatches. On Saturday afternoon, RFI, BFMTV, and 20 Minutes relayed a diplomatic source stating that a missile struck the airport "around 3 pm". A medical source initially mentioned at least two deaths and five serious injuries in intensive care, with some evacuated by helicopter. Doctors in Riyadh were called in urgently, a fact that Le Monde describes as rare. A passenger recounted: "I saw injured people. Everyone was running."
The press notes that the attack was not confirmed initially. Sud Ouest and 20 Minutes recall that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, rarely acknowledges strikes on civilian targets. The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for this attack, although they had claimed those on Thursday, October 8, which killed three people, including a pilot. BFMTV also recalls that the airport was targeted on Wednesday, October 7, resulting in traffic disruptions.
On Sunday, the diplomatic aspect took center stage. The coalition led by Riyadh denounced "a war crime" and promised to respond "firmly". Donald Trump deemed what happened "unacceptable" and announced that he would speak with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the "heinous" attack and reaffirmed his country's commitment to Saudi sovereignty. Schools in Riyadh switched to distance learning for the week.
The articles highlight the impact on travel: the embassies of Germany, Canada, Spain, and the United States advise against using the airport, and Paris had advised against traveling to Riyadh by air as of Friday, October 9, "unless absolutely necessary". Libération places the attack in the context of the offensive launched earlier in the month by Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government against the Houthis.
SOURCES (4)
- Sud OuestMEDIUM
