AMMAN: Mohammad Hussein Al-Barqawi, a 33-year-old Jordanian father of two who had moved to Saudi Arabia in search of a livelihood, was killed in a Houthi missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, leaving his family devastated and prompting renewed condemnation of the militia’s attacks on civilian facilities.
Al-Barqawi had lived in Saudi Arabia for about two years, working at a cafe, according to an account from a family source reported by Jordanian media. His relatives learned of his death overnight through friends in Saudi Arabia, before receiving official confirmation from Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates early Sunday.
The loss has left his wife and two children facing an unimaginable tragedy, as the family awaits the return of his body to Jordan for burial. Friends and acquaintances described him as a man known for his good character and considerate treatment of others, according to local media reports.
The attack killed 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. Al-Barqawi was among the victims identified as nationals of several countries, underscoring the indiscriminate human cost of targeting an international airport used by civilians from across the world.
Four other Jordanian citizens were injured in the attack. Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Fuad Al-Majali said two men had been discharged from hospital, while two women remained under treatment. Jordan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia visited the injured, and the ministry and embassy in Riyadh are coordinating with Saudi authorities to ensure their care and arrange the repatriation of Al-Barqawi’s body.
Al-Majali strongly condemned Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilians and civilian and economic facilities, and reaffirmed Jordan’s full solidarity with the Kingdom in protecting its security, stability and the safety of citizens and residents.
The attack represents a grave threat to civilian life. Airports are not legitimate targets for indiscriminate violence; striking facilities used by ordinary travelers puts families, workers and passengers of many nationalities at risk.
For Al-Barqawi’s family, the consequences are painfully personal: a husband and father who left home to earn a living will not return. Their loss is a stark reminder that attacks on civilian infrastructure are not merely military or political events, but human tragedies that leave children growing up without a parent and families struggling to comprehend an irreversible loss.