An Indian died in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on October 21, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said. Two other Indian nationals were injured. Saudi authorities later revised the death toll to two, identifying the deceased as a Saudi citizen and an Indian resident.
An Indian national was among two people killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday evening, October 21. Two other Indian nationals were injured, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Thursday, citing Saudi authorities. The attack also left six other people injured, taking the total number of injured to eight, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The injured include residents from Saudi Arabia, India, Yemen, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Scroll to load tweet…
Scroll to load tweet…
In a post on X on October 22, the Indian Embassy confirmed the death of an Indian national and said it was working to establish further details and contact the affected families. “Saudi authorities have informed that one Indian national was among two Indian nationals who unfortunately lost their lives in the attack on Dammam airport yesterday night and two Indian nationals were injured,” the Embassy said.
The Embassy expressed condolences to the deceased’s family and wished the injured a speedy recovery. It did not immediately disclose the identities of those affected.
Scroll to load tweet…
Saudi Arabia confirms two deaths in Dammam airport attack
In a supplementary statement issued on Thursday, GACA confirmed that the death toll had risen to two following confirmation of an additional fatality. The deceased were identified as a Saudi citizen and an Indian resident.
#بيان إلحاقي بشأن الاعتداء على مطار الملك فهد الدولي بالدمام. #الطيران_المدني https://t.co/TjboRE2d4I
— هيئة الطيران المدني (@ksagaca) October 22, 2026
GACA also confirmed that the airport had sustained material damage. Authorities were assessing the damage and coordinating with security agencies to implement measures to protect passengers and airport staff.
The authority subsequently said airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.
The initial statement from Saudi authorities had reported one death and eight injuries following Wednesday’s attack. The supplementary update raised the confirmed death toll to two.
US orders departure of non-emergency personnel from Saudi Arabia
The attack comes amid heightened security concerns in Saudi Arabia following a series of strikes targeting airports and other critical infrastructure.
The US Department of State has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia. However, it rejected reports suggesting that the order applied more widely to American diplomatic missions across the Persian Gulf.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott clarified the scope of the decision in a post on X.
“This is inaccurate. The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only,” he said.
Pigott cited increasing hostilities involving Iran-backed Houthi forces and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including airports, as reasons for the security measures. He said protecting American diplomatic personnel and their families remained a priority.
The US statement did not establish who was responsible for the latest attack on Dammam airport. Saudi authorities said they were continuing to assess the damage and coordinate security measures.
Earlier attacks targeted Riyadh and other Saudi airports
The Dammam incident follows a series of attacks on Saudi aviation facilities earlier in October.
On October 10, an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed several people and injured hundreds, according to earlier reports from Saudi authorities. The Indian Embassy subsequently confirmed that an Indian national who had been injured in the incident died.
Saudi aviation authorities also reported attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport on October 6 and 7. Those incidents resulted in deaths and injuries, while airport operations were temporarily suspended as officials carried out safety inspections.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns about the security of civilian aviation infrastructure in the Kingdom. Saudi authorities have said they are coordinating with relevant security agencies to assess damage, protect passengers and airport personnel, and maintain the safety of air traffic.
For Indian nationals living and working in Saudi Arabia, the latest incident has added to concerns following the deaths and injuries reported in previous attacks. The Indian Embassy said it was in contact with the affected families and was seeking further information from Saudi authorities.
(With inputs from agencies)