India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia has dispelled initial reports suggesting that an Indian citizen was among those killed in an Iranian missile attack on Al Kharj governorate south of Riyadh, confirming that the only Indian involved in the incident survived and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
Referring to X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Embassy said: “We are relieved that there was no Indian death in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj last night. The Embassy was in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding the matter. Counselor (CW) Shri Y. Sabir visited Al Kharj yesterday evening and met the injured Indian national who is currently undergoing treatment at Al. Kharj Hospital.”
What happened in Al Kharj: Two killed, twelve injured
The strike, which prompted the Indian embassy in a Saudi statement, was first reported by AFP on Sunday. Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense Agency confirmed that a “military projectile” hit a residential area in Al Kharj Governorate, killing two people and injuring 12 others.
“Military ammunition fell on a residential site resulting in two deaths and (12) injuries among residents of Al-Kharj Governorate.” read the statement.
A subsequent statement by the Saudi Arabian Civil Defense subsequently clarified the nationalities of the victims and corrected the original report: “Following the first statement regarding the direct fall of a military projectile on a residential site in Al-Kharj governorate and after completing all final procedures, it has been determined that both fatalities are of Bangladeshi nationality (11) injured person of Bangladeshi nationality, Indian nationality, (11).”
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense Agency earlier said an Indian and a Bangladeshi national were killed by an unspecified “military projectile” that hit a residential area, according to a statement that did not mention Iran by name. Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted radar systems in locations including Saudi Arabia’s Al-Kharja.
Al Kharj: A strategic target in Iran’s Persian Gulf campaign
Al Kharj is not a random place. The governorate is home to one of Saudi Arabia’s most important air bases and has come under repeated attack over the past week as Iran escalated its campaign of missile and drone attacks against its Gulf neighbors in retaliation for the US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic.
The focus on residential areas near the base underscores the humanitarian dimension of the conflict, which has quickly spread beyond the borders of Iran itself and drawn in civilian communities across the Gulf region – including the large South Asian population of migrant workers who form the backbone of the Gulf workforce.
