Saudi Arabia’s Dammam airport attacked after significant fatal strike on Riyadh

King Fahd airport becomes Houthi target following days of assaults on King Khalid hub.
Saudi Arabian authorities have disclosed that Dammam’s King Fahd airport has come under attack, the day after a substantial strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport resulted in 12 fatalities.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation says Dammam airport was “targeted by an attack” on 11 October, adding that Riyadh airport was hit again – with a further fatality, and 11 injured people – on the same day.

“Damage assessments and safety inspections of airport facilities are underway, in co-ordination with relevant authorities,” it adds.

It follows a strike on Riyadh airport on 10 October that, along with a dozen fatalities, left more than 300 people injured. Among the fatalities were four Saudi nationals and citizens of seven other countries and regions.

Houthi militia leaders in Yemen have again warned airlines, travellers and shipping companies “against using Saudi airports and airspace”, adding that “they are exposed to targeting and a theatre for operations by our forces”.

“[We urge] everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions,” the militia says.

It adds that the “direct” Dammam airport attack “led to the disruption of air traffic” and was one of four operations carried out in the last 24h with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against airports and energy infrastructure.

Previous attacks, attributed to Houthi forces, have been carried out at Riyadh airport and other sites in Saudi Arabia, with earlier strikes on the King Khalid and Abha airports having resulted in fatalities and aircraft damage.

Europe’s safety regulator has advised airlines to avoid the airspace around Riyadh and Dammam following the increased military activity.

While the militia insists it will not attack the airports of Mecca and Madinah, the two have been included in an extension of the section of southern Saudi airspace which EASA had previously declared unsafe.

GACA lists an American citizen among the fatalities. US president Donald Trump has indicated that, following the Riyadh airport attack, he could authorise support for the Saudi military against the Houthi forces.

“We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said, speaking to reporters on 10 October. “We just found out about the recent attack. We will make a decision. We move very quickly.”

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