Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was attacked on Wednesday, leaving one resident dead and eight other people injured, according to CNN Arabic. The authority described the injuries as ranging from minor to serious.
In a statement posted on X, the authority said the wounded were taken to hospital straight away for treatment. It also reported material damage at the site, which it said was still being assessed, and promised further updates later.
Why it matters
The strike hit an international airport serving the Eastern Province, a region that houses major oil infrastructure and civilian facilities. Attacks on airports and other civilian sites have drawn condemnation from Arab, Islamic and Western governments as well as international organizations, CNN Arabic reported, after earlier Houthi strikes on Saudi airports and civilian installations.
The latest casualty count also changed over the course of the day. Saudi outlets initially reported one death and eight injuries; Sabq later said the toll had risen to two, and Euronews reported the same figure. This account reflects the civil aviation authority's statement as carried by CNN Arabic.
Air defenses and a religious body's response
The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognized government, Turki al-Maliki, said on X that four drones were intercepted and destroyed over the Eastern Province, according to CNN Arabic.
Separately, the General Secretariat of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars said that targeting civilians and civilian facilities, destabilizing security and attempting to strike holy sites amounts to terrorism, CNN Arabic reported. The council is the kingdom's highest religious authority.
The report did not name who carried out the attack. CNN Arabic noted that the Houthi group had launched attacks on Saudi airports and civilian sites in the preceding period, and that those strikes were met with strong condemnation from many Arab, Islamic and Western countries and from international organizations.
What to watch
Watch for the civil aviation authority's promised update on the damage assessment and for any revised casualty figures as official statements are released.
