The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that a Houthi missile hit the apron of Dammam airport at 23:45 on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, damaging several aircraft and infrastructure, leaving a number of personnel wounded.
This strike follows a surge in Houthi attacks that have already claimed 22 lives across Saudi airports this month, according to an AFP tally, and has forced the kingdom to shut its main airport and postpone a major investment conference.
Saudi air defence units scrambled to intercept the incoming missile, but the strike landed on a taxiway, causing extensive damage to parked aircraft. The ministry of defence has launched a full damage assessment and will consider a temporary closure of the airport to restore safety.
India’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ramesh Kumar, expressed condolences to the families and pledged support for investigations. Meanwhile, the Houthi group has declared a maritime blockade of Saudi shipping lanes, threatening crude oil flows.