Dammam, Saudi Arabia | October 22
One person was killed and eight others injured in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday evening, according to the kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. The incident comes amid escalating hostilities involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement, with attacks targeting airports and energy infrastructure across the kingdom.
The civil aviation authority said the injured suffered wounds ranging from minor to serious and were taken for medical treatment. Authorities were assessing the material damage caused by the attack. Officials did not disclose the type of weapon used or identify those responsible.
The Saudi-led coalition separately said it had intercepted and destroyed five drones over the kingdom in recent hours, including in the oil-rich Eastern Province. The incidents have heightened concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s civilian and energy infrastructure.
In a separate incident, two people were killed and two others injured by falling debris after Saudi air defences intercepted a drone targeting a facility at the Shaybah oilfield in the Eastern Province, the Saudi Energy Ministry said.
The two people killed were nationals of the Philippines and Nepal, while the injured were Pakistani and Indian citizens. The ministry did not identify the source of the drone. The incident highlights the risks posed by attacks and air-defence operations around strategically important energy facilities.The US State Department has ordered non-essential personnel at its embassy in Riyadh and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid growing security concerns.
Reuters reported that US officials were also arranging the departure of family members of diplomatic personnel from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. However, the scope of the departure order varies by country, and the US State Department specifically confirmed the order for non-emergency personnel and their families in Saudi Arabia.
The US embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert warning of the possibility of further Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia. Washington has expressed concern about the increasing threat to civilian airports and other critical infrastructure across the Gulf region.
The latest measures follow a series of attacks on Saudi targets in recent weeks. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for some earlier strikes, although responsibility for the latest attacks on Dammam airport and the Shaybah oilfield had not been independently established.
French President Emmanuel Macron made an unannounced visit to Riyadh during his Gulf tour and met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
According to the French presidency, the meeting was intended to demonstrate France’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia following the Houthi attacks and to strengthen cooperation on protecting energy supplies and regional stability.
Macron has also visited Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar as part of his regional tour. His visit to Saudi Arabia comes as Western governments seek to coordinate their responses to the growing security risks in the Gulf.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Cairo was prepared to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia if requested, but stressed that such support would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders and would not involve an attack on Yemen.El-Sisi said Egypt was ready to support the defence of any Arab country that requested assistance.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, warned that foreign military intervention in Yemen would further complicate the situation. He said Egypt had already informed Tehran that it did not intend to intervene directly in the conflict.
Araghchi also said Iran had offered to help facilitate a ceasefire and negotiations but had not yet received a response from Saudi Arabia or the Houthi movement.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and received a written message from President el-Sisi.The discussions covered bilateral relations and the latest regional developments, including the deteriorating security situation.
The latest attacks and diplomatic contacts underscore growing concern that the confrontation involving Saudi Arabia and the Houthis could widen, threatening civilian infrastructure, regional energy supplies and security across the Gulf.
Authorities have not publicly established who was responsible for the Dammam airport attack or the drone incident at Shaybah. The situation remains developing, with governments monitoring the threat of further attacks and reviewing security arrangements.
