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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in a statement posted on X. Carney singled out the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh as particularly troubling and stressed that no objective could excuse targeting civilians or civilian sites. “The Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and in particular the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, are abhorrent. There can be no justification for attacks on civilian infrastructure. No political or military objective can justify the deliberate targeting of innocent people,” Carney said. “Canada condemns these reckless acts of violence in the strongest possible terms. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wish a full recovery to those injured.”
The strike on the airport which Carney referenced killed 12 people and injured more than 300 others according to reports on the incident. Saudi officials attributed the assault to Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating from Yemen and described it as part of a pattern of cross-border aggression. The incident has heightened concerns about potential escalation in a region already strained by the Yemen conflict.[[1]](https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/riyadh-airport-attack-world-leaders-condemn-deadly-strike-in-saudi-arabia-ptag-3014698-2026-10-11)
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg labeled the strikes on civilian airports a grave escalation that endangers regional security. Grundberg noted that the actions further complicate attempts to restart stalled peace talks aimed at resolving the broader Yemen crisis. His assessment echoed longstanding international calls for restraint from all parties involved in the dispute.[[1]](https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/riyadh-airport-attack-world-leaders-condemn-deadly-strike-in-saudi-arabia-ptag-3014698-2026-10-11)
Canada has repeatedly condemned similar Houthi actions against Saudi targets in the past with statements from Global Affairs Canada in December 2017 and March 2018 urging respect for international law. Those earlier declarations warned of escalation risks if Iran continued supplying weapons to the Houthis in violation of UN embargoes. The prime minister’s latest remarks maintain that consistent line of policy focused on de-escalation and support for UN mediation.[[2]](https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2018/03/statement-by-foreign-affairs-minister-on-missile-attack-in-saudi-arabia.html)
A parallel statement from the Canadian foreign ministry account on X reinforced the government’s position by expressing full solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The account declared that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and that Canada backs Saudi Arabia’s right to defend its territory and population. This coordinated communication from Ottawa underscores the depth of concern over repeated Houthi strikes on Saudi airports and other sites.[[3]](https://x.com/CanadaFP/status/2108302250997330161)
The Yemen conflict that erupted with the Houthi takeover of significant territory in 2014 and 2015 has produced recurrent drone and missile attacks on Saudi infrastructure over the ensuing decade. Canadian statements have frequently tied these incidents to external arms supplies that contravene international sanctions and prolong the fighting. Ongoing UN efforts led by successive special envoys have sought cease-fires and political settlements but have faced repeated setbacks from such cross-border violence.
