Dammam Airport Attack: 1 Killed, 8 Injured in Saudi Arabia; US Orders Non-Emergency Staff to Leave

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia said one person was killed and eight others were injured in a Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday evening.

GACA said some of the injured are in a serious condition. In a post on X, it said the airport was damaged and the damage is being assessed.

US orders non-emergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia

The United States has ordered non-emergency US government employees posted in Saudi Arabia, and their family members, to leave the country.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on X that attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthi rebels have increased. He said civilian airports and infrastructure have been targeted.

He added that several civilians have been killed or injured in these attacks and that air traffic has been severely affected.

Saudi-led coalition says it shot down drones

Al Jazeera reported that the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen has foiled some attacks.

Quoting coalition spokesperson Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki, it said the coalition's air defence system shot down four drones in the air. The drones were headed for the kingdom, including its Eastern Province.

Earlier attacks on Saudi airports

On 10 October, a major attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people, including an Indian national. Hundreds were injured.

In a statement on 11 October, GACA had first reported 12 deaths and 309 injured. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh later confirmed the death of an Indian national injured in the attack.

Earlier, on 6 and 7 October, several attacks targeted King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport. According to GACA, three people were killed and 36 injured.