The orthopaedic experience of the scud missile disaster in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia during the Gulf war is reviewed. This was by far the most severe of 70 scud attacks. The majority of casualties had 'orthopaedic' injuries, fractures and soft tissue lacerations of the extremities and the back. Our experience confirmed the importance of the principles of planning triage beforehand and open wound treatment with secondary suture. Repeated ward rounds with reassessment of the patients proved beneficial. The ready availability of hospital beds in high-risk situations of regional war highly facilitated the management of mass casualties.