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A suspected Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, killed one person and injured eight others late Wednesday, the country’s civil aviation authority reported, amid escalating threats against the kingdom’s airports and energy infrastructure.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said the injured were taken to hospital, with conditions ranging from minor to severe. The strike also caused material damage at the airport, which authorities were still assessing.
Saudi authorities have not identified the perpetrator of the latest attack. It follows a wave of assaults claimed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group, which has threatened further strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities and urged airline personnel, travelers and energy workers to stay away from designated targets.
In statements reported last week, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree identified Aramco facilities in Dhahran, an Aramco refinery in Riyadh and King Khalid International Airport as targets. He warned that the group would continue operations against Saudi airports and oil facilities in the coming days, threatening "severe consequences" for the kingdom.
The attack on King Fahd International Airport followed a deadly drone incident at the Shaybah oil field in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province on Wednesday.
Two people were killed and two others injured when debris fell after Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone targeting an Aramco facility, the Energy Ministry reported. The debris also sparked a fire in a contractor’s vehicle, but operations at the oil field remained unaffected.
The Saudi-led coalition also reported intercepting and destroying five drones launched toward the kingdom on Wednesday, including in the Eastern Province and the Medina region.
The latest attack adds to a deadly wave of assaults on Saudi aviation facilities. Between Oct. 5 and 11, 10 attacks targeted five airports across the kingdom, killing 20 people and injuring hundreds.
During that period, attackers hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh five times, while King Fahd International Airport in Dammam came under attack twice. Airports in Abha, Jazan and Najran were also targeted.
The attacks have disrupted air travel and forced organizers to postpone major business events. Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and other carriers have suspended or canceled flights to Saudi cities, while Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has faced extended closures and flight restrictions.
The disruption has also hit Saudi Arabia’s international business calendar. The kingdom postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative (FII), known as “Davos in the Desert,” from Oct. 26-29 to 2027. The event was expected to bring together senior executives and global investors, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Other events have also been pushed back. Organizers postponed the Intersec Saudi Arabia security exhibition until October 2027, while the Saudi Retail Forum was rescheduled for March 2027.
Security concerns have also affected day-to-day business in Riyadh, where some government agencies have instructed employees to work remotely and offices in the King Abdullah Financial District have asked staff to stay home.
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