The Saudi civil aviation authority reported the casualties early Thursday. It confirmed that eight people were injured and that the airport sustained some physical damage in the attack. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 said on X, formerly Twitter, that flights approaching the airport had been diverted.
Authorities have not identified those responsible for the attack or provided further details about how it was carried out. The incident comes amid a series of missile and projectile attacks targeting major Saudi airports, including previous attacks on King Fahd International Airport.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have not yet commented on the latest incident. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition reported that it had thwarted four drone attacks in the Eastern Province.
The attack on King Fahd International Airport came amid growing security concerns in Saudi Arabia, where drone and missile-related incidents have caused casualties and damage to critical infrastructure.
US Orders Some Diplomats and Families to Leave Saudi Arabia
Late Wednesday night, the United States ordered some diplomats and family members of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia. The move came amid several deadly attacks in the country attributed to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and fears that the conflict could escalate further.
The airport attack followed another deadly incident involving an oil facility operated by Aramco in southeastern Saudi Arabia. According to the Saudi Energy Ministry, two people were killed and two others injured after debris from an intercepted drone struck the area.
The ministry identified the two people killed as nationals of Nepal and the Philippines. The injured included citizens of Pakistan and India.
These incidents have intensified concerns over the safety of foreign nationals working and residing in Saudi Arabia, particularly as attacks involving drones and other projectiles continue to affect the country’s energy infrastructure and other strategic facilities.
Previous Houthi-Linked Incidents in Saudi Arabia
Last month, a Yemen resident living in Saudi Arabia was killed after being struck by debris from a Houthi drone that had been intercepted. The incident marked the first reported civilian death since Houthi rebels intensified attacks targeting Saudi ships and oil facilities.
Earlier this month, a fire broke out at an administrative building operated by Aramco in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, home to one of the world’s largest oil facilities. The fire also occurred during an attack.
The latest strike on King Fahd International Airport adds to a series of security incidents affecting Saudi Arabia, with casualties reported among foreign nationals and disruptions to aviation operations. Although the authorities have yet to identify those behind the airport attack, the incident underscores the continuing security risks facing civilian infrastructure and international personnel in the country.
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