- WEB DESK
- October 22, 2026
One killed, eight injured in attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd airport
RIYADH/ISLAMABAD: One person was killed and eight others injured in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday evening, the kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said.
The authority said the injuries ranged from minor to serious, while officials were assessing material damage caused by the attack.
The statement did not specify the nature of the attack. Saudi airports have faced repeated projectile attacks in recent days attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Two killed by debris after drone intercepted near Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield
Two people were killed and two others injured after Saudi air defences intercepted a drone targeting a facility at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said.
The ministry said the incident caused a fire in a vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter but did not disrupt operations at the oilfield. According to the ministry, the two people killed were residents of Saudi Arabia, one Filipino and one Nepali. The injured were a Pakistani and an Indian national, who were hurt by falling debris following the interception.
The incident comes amid escalating missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has increasingly targeted sites across Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities have reported intercepting numerous ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis. In response, Saudi Arabia has carried out strikes against missile-launcher sites and vowed to protect its territory and critical infrastructure.
Despite the latest incident, the Energy Ministry said operations at the Shaybah oilfield remained unaffected.
Attacks across airports recently
At least 20 people have been killed in a series of attacks on airports across Saudi Arabia in October, with Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport bearing the brunt of an escalating campaign linked to Yemen’s Houthis.
Eighteen people were killed in attacks on King Khalid International Airport within the space of a week, while another two died in a strike on Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The first fatalities in the latest wave were reported after attacks on October 6 and 7. Saudi civil aviation authorities said one person was killed and eight others wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport, while two people were killed and 28 injured in an attack on facilities at Abha airport. Authorities said one attack occurred on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday but did not specify which airport was struck on which date.
King Khalid International Airport came under further attack on October 8, when two strikes killed three Saudi nationals and injured several others. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said one attack hit airport facilities while another struck an aircraft belonging to national carrier Saudia. The Houthis said they had targeted the airport with two cruise missiles.
The deadliest attack came on October 10, when a strike on King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, according to later figures carried by Hum News English. Four of those killed were Saudi nationals, while the victims also included foreign nationals. The attack forced the suspension of airport operations and was described as the deadliest attack inside Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.
Another attack followed on October 11, targeting Terminal 4 at the Riyadh airport and causing a fire. A Pakistani national was killed and 11 people were injured. Hum News English reported that six Pakistanis had been among those injured in the preceding attack. The latest death took the toll from attacks on Riyadh airport that week to 18.
The Houthis also claimed attacks on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco facilities. Saudi authorities confirmed an attack at Dammam airport, where a projectile reportedly struck the tarmac near parked aircraft and started a fire, but no deaths were reported. An attack on Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran also caused damage and a fire, but Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said there were no casualties.
The October escalation followed attacks on September 8 targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Those strikes injured 73 people, including women and children, but Hum News English did not report any deaths. As of October 22, Saudi forces were continuing to report aerial threats. Four drones were intercepted over Madina on Wednesday and the kingdom’s eastern regions, with no casualties or damage immediately reported.
The renewed violence follows the unravelling of a truce that had largely contained the Yemen conflict since 2022. Fighting has intensified between the Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Saudi forces have reportedly responded with strikes on Houthi-held areas, including the capital.
The escalation has also prompted Saudi Arabia to seek greater support from regional partners. Egypt has said it is prepared to provide necessary assistance to protect Saudi Arabia’s security if Riyadh requests it. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for an urgent parliamentary session to consider authorising military assistance, although any deployment would depend on a formal Saudi request.
Pakistan has also reiterated its commitment to Saudi security under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 6. Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said an attack on any member would be treated as an attack against all three, triggering a collective response. He described the arrangement as defensive and said Pakistan remained committed to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
