Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt strongly condemned an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, that killed two civilians and injured eight others. Cairo described the strike as an unlawful and indiscriminate assault on civilian facilities and air travel, and reaffirmed its support for the kingdom.
The attack took place Wednesday evening, October 21. Saudi aviation authorities said the death toll rose to two after a second fatality was confirmed. The dead were identified as a Saudi citizen and an Indian resident. Eight people were injured, including Saudi, Indian, Yemeni, Bangladeshi and Nepalese residents.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the attack violated international law by placing civilians, airport infrastructure and air navigation at risk. It condemned what it called actions that inflame the crisis, heighten tensions and undermine regional stability. Cairo also reiterated that Saudi security was an integral part of Egyptian and Arab national security, and voiced solidarity with the Saudi leadership and people in defending the kingdom’s territory and citizens.
The ministry’s statement did not identify those responsible for the attack or specify the weapons used. It focused instead on the consequences of targeting an airport: danger to civilians and airport workers, disruption to aviation, and the possibility that an assault on civilian infrastructure could widen an already tense regional confrontation.
King Fahd International Airport serves Dammam and the wider Eastern Province. An attack on a major civilian airport can affect more than the immediate area, disrupting the movement of passengers and air services while raising concerns about the safety of people living and working nearby. The strike’s civilian toll has given the incident added weight in diplomatic calls to protect non-combatants and essential facilities.
Egypt’s reaction comes amid heightened concern across the region about attacks on civilian sites and the risk of further escalation. Its statement emphasized restraint and rejected actions that could broaden the crisis. By describing the security of Saudi Arabia as tied to Egypt’s own national security, Cairo also placed the condemnation within the context of its close relationship with Riyadh and its broader position on Arab security.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, separately condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia. In a statement issued Thursday, he denounced the assault on the airport, saying that attacks on civilian infrastructure endanger innocent people and violate humanitarian principles and international norms. He also said that putting civilians at risk could not be justified and called for an end to such attacks.
Al-Azhar’s statement stressed that the strike threatened the safety of both Saudi citizens and residents from other countries living in the kingdom. The mix of nationalities among those injured illustrated that point: the consequences of attacks on airports and other public facilities often extend beyond the citizens of the country where the incident occurs.
The religious institution also warned that attacks of this kind could fuel regional tension and destabilize the wider area. Its appeal echoed Egypt’s diplomatic message, which called for rejecting actions that aggravate the crisis and reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia’s security and territorial integrity.
The condemnation followed an earlier call from al-Tayeb for an urgent Arab mediation and de-escalation committee to work toward ending regional conflicts. That appeal reflects a parallel strand of the response: while Egypt has reiterated its solidarity with Saudi Arabia, Egyptian and religious leaders have also emphasized mediation and the need to prevent the fighting from spreading.
The immediate consequences of the Dammam attack are clear: two people were killed and eight injured. The broader political implications remain uncertain. Egypt’s statement did not announce any specific response beyond diplomatic condemnation and solidarity with Riyadh. It did, however, make clear that Cairo considers attacks on Saudi territory a matter of shared Arab concern, while warning that further violence could deepen instability.
As authorities assess the incident and its impact on airport operations, the central issue for regional governments is how to protect civilians and essential infrastructure without widening the conflict. Egypt and Al-Azhar have both urged an end to attacks and called attention to the risks for ordinary people. Their statements frame the strike not only as an assault on a transport hub, but also as a challenge to regional security and efforts to contain escalation.
