Indian National Killed, Two Injured in Dammam Airport Attack in Saudi Arabia

An Indian national was killed and two others were injured in an attack on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia, according to officials on Thursday. The casualties occurred a day after another Indian compatriot was injured in a drone attack targeting the kingdom's Shaybah oilfield, amid an ongoing series of strikes targeting key infrastructure in the country.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed via social media that Saudi authorities informed the mission about the casualties from the Wednesday night attack at Dammam airport. The embassy stated that it is currently ascertaining further details and maintaining contact with the affected families.

This incident follows an attack earlier in the week targeting state-owned Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oilfield, located in the Rub' al-Khali desert. According to the Saudi Ministry of Energy, air defenses intercepted a drone targeting the facility, but falling shrapnel resulted in two deaths—a Filipino and a Nepali national—and two injuries, including an Indian national and a Pakistani national. While the incident caused a fire in a contractor's vehicle outside the perimeter, Saudi authorities reported that oilfield operations remained unaffected.

Earlier this month, another Indian national was killed and several others were injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. In response to these developments, India has condemned attacks targeting civilian facilities and infrastructure and called for an end to hostilities.

The Indian Embassy has issued advisories for approximately 2.74 million Indian nationals residing and working in Saudi Arabia. Citizens have been urged to remain alert, follow local authority instructions, and take shelter indoors during aerial attacks. The mission also cautioned individuals against filming or sharing images and videos of drone or missile interceptions and impact sites, citing potential legal consequences under Saudi law.

"These recurring security incidents impacting critical infrastructure and airports in the region highlight the operational risks faced by expatriate workforces in the Middle East. For businesses and international enterprises with operations or supply chains in the region, employee safety protocols and contingency planning must remain a top priority during periods of geopolitical uncertainty." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes