An Indian national lost their life and two others sustained injuries during an attack at Saudi Arabia's King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday night. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed these casualties on Thursday, noting the incident occurred amidst a surge of strikes targeting critical Saudi infrastructure, often attributed to Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The embassy's social media post initially reported one Indian fatality and two injuries. Subsequently, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia provided further details, stating that an Indian and a Saudi citizen were killed. Eight other individuals were injured, comprising one Saudi citizen, two Indians, two Yemenis, two Bangladeshis, and one Nepalese national. GACA indicated that their injuries ranged from minor to critical, with all receiving necessary medical care across various hospitals.
Saudi authorities have not specified whether the Dammam airport attack involved a drone or a missile. Despite the incident, airport operations swiftly resumed, and air traffic returned to its normal schedule. This attack is part of an ongoing pattern of drone and missile strikes against Saudi Arabia's airports and energy installations. While Iran-backed Houthi rebels have engaged in a prolonged campaign against the kingdom, Saudi authorities have not publicly identified those responsible for this particular Dammam incident.
This latest tragedy follows another drone attack earlier on Wednesday, which targeted Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oilfield. An Indian national was also injured in this separate incident, as confirmed by the Indian mission late Wednesday night. According to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy, air defenses successfully intercepted the drone. However, falling shrapnel tragically killed two residents—a Filipino and a Nepali national—and injured two others, an Indian and a Pakistani. The Shaybah incident also caused a fire in a contractor's vehicle located outside the facility's perimeter, though oilfield operations remained unaffected.
Image: sahilonline.org
📰 Source: Sahil Online