Indian killed in Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Dammam airport

The Indian Embassy issued an advisory urging Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain alert, follow instructions issued by local authorities and take shelter indoors during airstrikes. A representative image of the file used. | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Two people, including an Indian national, were killed and eight others injured on Wednesday (Oct 21, 2026) in a Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil hub, the kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the death of an Indian citizen. “Saudi authorities have informed that one Indian national was among the two people who unfortunately lost their lives in the attack at Dammam airport last night and two Indian nationals were injured,” the Indian embassy said in a social media post on Thursday (October 22, 2026). “We are investigating further details and contacting the affected families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the deceased and we wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

Airport operations and air traffic have returned to normal after brief disruptions, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said.

Separately, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) claimed that Saudi Arabia had attacked a yacht carrying Indians in the Red Sea, adding that they were carrying out rescue operations.

The Houthis, who control northern and northwestern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, said they had launched missile and drone attacks on the Saudi defense ministry in Riyadh and Dammam airport. They also attacked facilities of Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil and gas company, in Yanbu and Abha International Airport in the southwest.

If Saudi Arabia continues to attack Yemen, “we will resort to major options that we did not want to accept and make it responsible for the consequences,” the militants said, according to Houthi-linked Almasirah TV.

Iranian rebels, who captured Sana’a in 2014 and expanded their territorial control along Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast last month, also claimed that Saudi forces on Thursday targeted an Indian yacht near Zuqar Island in the Red Sea, carrying 14 Indians.

“The (Houthi) armed forces are carrying out rescue operations for those on board, more details will be provided later,” they said, according to Almasirah. “It showed that this reckless behavior of the Saudi enemy threatens international navigation in the Red Sea, which requires the international community to stop the Saudi enemy from these reckless actions.”

The targeting of a civilian vessel carrying Indian nationals raises serious concerns about the safety of international shipping and the potential for civilian casualties, they added.

Saudi Arabia began bombing Yemen in 2015 after the Houthis captured Sana’a a few months earlier. In 2022, Riyadh and the Houthi leadership agreed to a ceasefire as part of a broader Iran-Saudi rapprochement. The ceasefire collapsed this July, in the middle of the US-Iran war, when Saudi Arabia bombed Sana’a airport to prevent an Iranian airline carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The Houthis then began attacking Saudi Arabia and launched a ground offensive against the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. They also announced a blockade of Saudi ports in the Red Sea.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have stepped up attacks against Saudi airports and energy infrastructure, while the kingdom has stepped up its airstrikes on Houthi-held parts of Yemen.

On Thursday (October 22, 2026), the Houthis said they would continue their operations against Saudi Arabia. “There will be siege after siege and escalation after escalation,” they said, adding that the strikes would continue until Saudi Arabia lifted its blockade of Houthi-held areas of Yemen.

Helpline numbers shared by the Department of Foreign Affairs

Embassy of India, Riyadh: Phone: +966-554412016; +966-542126784; Toll free: 8002471234 (calls from KSA only); WhatsApp: +966-536216082 (messages only)

Consulate General of India, Jeddah: Telephone: +966-12-2614093; +966-556122301; WhatsApp: +966-536209704 (messages only)

Our Embassy in Riyadh @IndianEmbRiyadh and Consulate in Jeddah @CGIJeddah are actively working with the affected airlines and tour operators to facilitate the early return of the affected pilgrims. About 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims traveled from Saudi Arabia back to India on available flights during the past week. This is in addition to over 10,000 normal Umrah pilgrims who were booked on available flights and traveled back to India during the past week. Measures are being discussed to facilitate the return of other Umrah pilgrims as soon as possible. Our embassy and consulate, with the support of community volunteers, extend all possible social assistance. 24×7 control rooms have been set up to help Indian nationals and regular alerts are issued. Below are the contact details of 24X7 Control Rooms at Embassy of India, Riyadh and Consulate General of India, Jeddah: Embassy of India, Riyadh: Phone: +966-554412016; +966-542126784 Toll Free: 8002471234 (Calls within KSA only) WhatsApp: +966-536216082 (Messages only) Consulate General of India, Jeddah: Phone: +966-12-2614093; +966-556122301 WhatsApp: +966-536209704 (messages only)

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEEAIndia) October 22, 2026

Published – 22 Oct 2026 15:28 IST