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Two Killed in Drone Attack on Saudi Airport
· Confirmed
In Short: The incident follows a string of attacks on Saudi airports, including one on October 10 that killed 12 people and injured over 300 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The attack, which occurred late Wednesday, marks the latest in a series of assaults on Saudi infrastructure by Houthi forces from Yemen.
According to the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, the number of fatalities has risen to two, including a Saudi national and an Indian resident.
On October 11, another projectile strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport resulted in one death and 11 injuries.
The US State Department has ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members to depart from Saudi Arabia due to the escalating Houthi attacks.
The US embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday, warning of possible further attacks by the Houthis.
Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone attempting to hit a facility at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield, resulting in two deaths from debris.
The aviation authority noted that flight operations at King Fahd International Airport resumed on Thursday morning.
Global flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that flights were being diverted away from the airport overnight Thursday.
Saudi civil defence officials reported damage to a kindergarten and medical complex in Riyadh from falling missile debris.
The Houthi military's spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that both operations successfully achieved their objectives.
The UAE Foreign Ministry condemned the drone attack, stating it was a flagrant violation of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and a threat to its security and stability.
Mental health professionals across Saudi Arabia are encouraging people to prioritize emotional well-being and seek professional help in response to the recent attacks.
What this adds
The number of fatalities in the October 10 attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was initially reported as 12, but this has not been confirmed by all sources.
Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority has confirmed that operations at King Fahd International Airport have resumed, aligning with previous reports.
Background
Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority announced on Thursday that operations at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam have resumed and air traffic has returned to normal, according to Arabnews (Saudi Arabia), Gulfnews, Hindustan Times (India), and Minutemirror (Pakistan).
One person was killed and eight injured in an attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
What's confirmed
- Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement on Thursday that the number of people killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in the eastern city of Dammam has risen to two – a Saudi national and an Indian resident.
- Earlier in the day, two people were killed after Saudi air defences intercepted a drone that was attempting to hit a facility at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield, the Ministry of Energy said.
- The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority has announced that one Saudi resident was killed in attacks on King Fahad International airport in Dammam in Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf near Bahrain and Qatar.
- A suspected Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, killed two people and injured eight others late Wednesday, the country’s civil aviation authority reported, amid escalating threats against the kingdom’s airports and energy infrastructure.
What's still developing
- US orders some diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate UK to deploy jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks On Yemen's desert battlefield, a war with global consequences is being waged At least 21 people have been killed in Houthi attacks on Saudi airports since the start of October, according to Saudi authorities.
- One of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic skyscrapers ordered office workers to stay home Sunday as escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels rattled the capital of Riyadh amid fears of a widening Middle East conflict.
- As many as 200,000 Israelis visited in the year before the attack, according to Moroccan Tourism Ministry estimates.
- Zelenskyy’s warning that Russian airspace is becoming dangerous is proving true: Russia temporarily restricted operations at 27 airports amid a massive drone attack.
- Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the attack caused a “limited fire” in an administrative building at Aramco’s headquarters.