Two dead in eastern Saudi airport attack: aviation authority

A late-night attack on Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia killed two people and injured eight others on Wednesday, the civil aviation authority said on Thursday, as strikes by Yemen’s Houthis intensify.

Who was killed in the Dammam airport attack?

A Saudi man and an Indian man were killed in the attack on Wednesday, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement, updating an earlier death toll. Eight others were injured.

The authority said damage to the airport was being assessed.

Why are Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensifying?

In recent weeks, Houthi attacks on Saudi oil and civilian infrastructure have reached an unprecedented scale. Riyadh has been forced to shut its main airport and postpone a major investment conference. A total of 22 people have been killed in attacks on Saudi airports this month, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

A Houthi maritime blockade in the Red Sea is also threatening oil shipments from Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest exporter of crude.

How did the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalate?

The Houthi attacks follow the collapse in July of a years-long truce in Yemen’s civil war. The Iran-backed group is fighting the government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.

The Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began hitting its ships, territory and oil facilities. They then launched a major offensive in September in which they seized government-held territory along the Red Sea coast. In response, the Saudi air force has frequently targeted areas under Houthi control, which includes much of impoverished Yemen.