At least two people were killed in a Houthi missile strike targeting King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, as the United States ordered the partial evacuation of its diplomatic staff from the kingdom amid escalating attacks by the Yemen-based militia. The strike on Wednesday evening also wounded eight others, according to Saudi authorities, who confirmed the airport remained operational on Thursday.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack on Dammam’s airport and reported additional strikes against the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Yanbu, and the airport in the southern city of Abha. Saudi officials have not publicly addressed the latter claims.
In a related incident on the same day, a drone attack targeted Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province, killing two contractors—a Filipino and a Nepali—after debris from intercepted drones ignited a fire in a vehicle. The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed these casualties. These attacks are part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, who have intensified strikes on Saudi aviation and energy infrastructure over recent weeks, resulting in at least 22 civilian deaths and contributing to instability in global energy markets. The benchmark price of crude oil rose approximately 4% on Thursday, reaching over $113 per barrel, levels not seen since mid-May.
Following these developments, the U.S. State Department directed "non-emergency government employees and their family members" to leave Saudi Arabia. The decision cited the Houthis’ continued attacks on civilian airports and infrastructure, along with increased civilian casualties and travel disruptions. Although the United States had earlier withdrawn much of its diplomatic presence in the region after the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February, some staff had gradually returned since late August.
Saudi Arabia escalated its military campaign against the Houthis earlier this month, supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government in an ongoing conflict that reignited after a fragile truce collapsed this year. The Houthis initially seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and recently gained control of strategic coastal areas along the Red Sea, a crucial transit point for global shipping. In response, Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi air power, have launched counteroffensives to reclaim these key territories.
The conflict in Yemen has displaced an estimated 260,000 people since August and resulted in over 1,500 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Meanwhile, the Red Sea corridor has grown in importance for Saudi oil exports, particularly after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint in the Persian Gulf—following U.S. and Israeli operations.
Iran’s presence in the region remains a significant factor. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed responsibility for recent attacks on commercial shipping in the northern Persian Gulf, alleging that four tankers involved in unauthorized oil transfers were struck and that three vessels were damaged by mines near the Strait of Hormuz. Independent verification of these claims has not been possible thus far.
Tensions continue to simmer as U.S. and Israeli military planners reportedly prepare options for potential strikes against Iran following the upcoming American midterm elections. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict and reopen critical maritime routes through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf are ongoing but have so far failed to produce a lasting ceasefire or de-escalation.