The death toll from an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s eastern city of Dammam has risen to two, according to the country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The victims include a Saudi national and an Indian resident, while eight others were injured in the assault, which occurred on Wednesday. Operations at the airport have since resumed, and air traffic has returned to normal.
The attack is part of a broader escalation of conflict between the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, and the Saudi-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government. The Houthis claimed responsibility for multiple strikes on Saudi infrastructure over the last 48 hours, including targeting Abha International Airport, the Saudi defense ministry in Riyadh, and facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Yanbu.
Separately, Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone attempting to hit a facility at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield, resulting in two deaths. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis reported intercepting and destroying four drones in the regions of Riyadh and Medina. Additionally, Saudi Aramco ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran, which had been hit by a Houthi attack earlier in the month.
The US State Department has ordered diplomats and family members to depart from its missions in Saudi Arabia, while also planning withdrawals from other regional missions. The US embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert warning of possible further attacks by the Houthis.