RIYADH (VINnews) — At least 12 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in a major attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, in the latest and deadliest escalation in the confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

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Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said 309 people were injured, several of them critically. The fatalities included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The attack, the third targeting Riyadh’s airport within a week, has intensified concerns over the ability of the Houthis to strike deep inside the kingdom despite Saudi air defenses. Reuters described it as the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that an American was among those killed and condemned the attack, while President Donald Trump said Washington was considering whether to become directly involved in Saudi military operations against the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition described the strike as a war crime and has vowed a forceful response.

The attack came amid a broader wave of Houthi missile operations. The group has warned commercial airlines to avoid Saudi airspace, while several international carriers have suspended or altered flights amid the deteriorating security situation. Saudi forces have also reported intercepting additional ballistic missiles aimed at targets inside the kingdom.

The timing of the escalation is particularly troubling for Riyadh because Saudi Arabia is preparing to host a series of high-profile international gatherings that are central to its effort to portray the kingdom as a secure global hub for investment, energy, technology and tourism.

The World Petroleum Congress is taking place in Riyadh this week, while the Future Investment Initiative, the annual gathering often described as “Davos in the Desert”, is scheduled for October 26-29. Organizers have said both events will proceed, but the airport attacks have prompted heightened security measures and concerns among foreign participants.

The Financial Times reported that some executives and international participants have been reassessing travel plans. Italy’s energy minister has already opted to participate virtually rather than travel to Riyadh, while companies are monitoring developments before making final decisions regarding senior executives.

The concerns go beyond the immediate danger of another missile strike. The Future Investment Initiative is an important showcase for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, which seeks to reduce Saudi dependence on oil by attracting enormous levels of foreign investment and turning the kingdom into an international center for finance, tourism and technology.

Images of missile attacks, damaged civilian infrastructure and disrupted international flights risk undermining the message of stability that Riyadh hopes to present to visiting investors.

The kingdom is also hosting several other international events in the coming days, including the Riyadh Economic Forum and global space-connectivity and sustainability meetings. The International Telecommunication Union announced that its October 12-14 events in Riyadh would operate in hybrid format, with ITU staff providing support virtually.

The attacks are also increasing pressure on Saudi leaders over how aggressively to confront the Houthis.

The renewed fighting has centered partly on strategically important territory surrounding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Houthi gains there have raised concerns in Riyadh not only about Saudi security but also about international shipping and the kingdom’s ability to protect regional trade routes.

For Saudi Arabia, the dilemma is increasingly stark. A large military campaign could drag the kingdom back into a costly Yemen war and potentially provoke further missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, airports and oil facilities. But restraint could allow the Houthis to portray themselves as having successfully deterred Riyadh while continuing to threaten Saudi territory.

The attack on King Khalid International Airport may therefore represent more than another episode in the long Saudi-Houthi conflict. Coming just as thousands of foreign officials, investors and business leaders are expected in Riyadh, it strikes directly at one of the kingdom’s most important strategic ambitions: convincing the world that Saudi Arabia is both an economic power and a safe place in which to invest, travel and do business.