This photo taken with a mobile phone on Sept. 19, 2026 shows thick smoke rising near King Khalid International Airport in northeastern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Xinhua

The Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia said on Sunday morning that no Chinese nationals had been reported killed or injured so far, following an attack on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday afternoon. 

Twelve people have been killed and 309 others injured in the attack, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said.

According to its statement posted early Sunday on social media platform X, the authority said the fatalities included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign residents -two Bangladeshis and one each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The injured are receiving necessary medial care at several hospitals, with some in serious condition, the authority said, adding that material damage was still being assessed.

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates on Sunday urged Chinese-funded institutions and Chinese nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain firmly aware of potential risks, minimize non-essential outdoor activities, remain calm, and ensure their personal safety.

Passengers planning to travel by air are advised to stay in close contact with their respective airlines to avoid disruptions to their travel plans, the embassy said in its statement on WeChat account. Chinese nationals planning to transit through Saudi Arabia are also advised to carefully reconsider their travel plans in view of the current aviation situation in the country.

Foreign embassies in Riyadh, including those of the US, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada, issued advisories on social media to their citizens in Saudi Arabia, according to an Al Jazeera report.

Earlier on Saturday, King Khalid airport urged passengers to contact their airlines directly and check their flight status before heading to the airport amid reports of disruptions to air traffic. The airport did not specify the cause of the disruptions in its initial advisory, the report noted.

Following reports of the latest attack, US President Donald Trump was asked by reporters outside the White House whether Washington planned to join the Saudi strikes on the Houthis. "We may. We're going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we'll make a decision. We move very quickly," he said, per the media report.

Yemen's Houthi group has repeatedly targeted the airport in recent days. The latest attacks came amid an escalation in Yemen, where the Saudi-backed government forces are fighting the Houthis, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Global Times