Indian Expat Killed in Saudi Dammam Airport Missile Strike
An Indian national was killed and others injured during a missile strike on Dammam's King Fahd International Airport.
An Indian national was killed and several others were wounded during a missile attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on the night of October 21, 2026. The strike has added to a growing list of recent security incidents in the region affecting the expatriate community.
Casualties at King Fahd International Airport
The missile strike at the Dammam airport resulted in a total of eight casualties. The victims included:
- Two Indian nationals
- Two Yemeni citizens
- Two Bangladeshi citizens
- One Nepalese citizen
- One Saudi citizen
While the airport resumed operations the following day, the attack has caused significant alarm among the millions of foreign workers living in the Kingdom.
Drone Strike at Shaybah Oil Field
Earlier on the same day, a separate security incident occurred at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province. An intercepted drone strike caused debris to strike a contractor's vehicle, leading to further loss of life and injuries:
- Fatalities: One Filipino worker and one Nepalese worker.
- Injuries: One Indian national and one Pakistani national.
Despite the strike, authorities confirmed that oil production at the Shaybah field remained unaffected.
A String of Recent Tragedies
The attack in Dammam follows a series of violent incidents involving Indian nationals in the region over the past two weeks:
- October 10: Mohammed Yousuf Ali, a 46-year-old technician from Hyderabad, was killed when a missile struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. His wife and two sons also sustained injuries in the blast.
- October 11: Sailors remain missing following a drone strike on the MT Petro Dolphin tanker near the Sohar Anchorage in Oman.
- October 13: Kashireddy Rakesh, a 27-year-old from Telangana, died in Jizan following a workplace accident involving a collapsing crane-pipe.
Diplomatic Response and Travel Disruptions
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has officially condemned the attacks, describing them as unacceptable and calling for an immediate end to hostilities against civilian and energy infrastructure. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Indian diplomats are currently working with Saudi authorities to assist the affected families.
To support citizens, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh has established 24-hour helplines and control rooms in Makkah and Jeddah.
The escalating tensions have had a visible impact on travel and migration:
- Flight Suspensions: Major carriers, including Air India and IndiGo, have suspended flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam through at least October 24.
- Mass Departure: Approximately 300,000 Indians have left the region since late February.
With nearly 2.74 million Indians residing in Saudi Arabia, the Indian government has urged all citizens to remain vigilant, follow local safety instructions, and strictly avoid filming any attack sites, as doing so is illegal under Saudi law.