Islamabad, 22 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Saudi-led coalition announced on Thursday that it had intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region, amid escalating security concerns following a series of attacks targeting critical infrastructure across Saudi Arabia. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki confirmed the interception in a statement posted on X but did not disclose the drone’s origin or intended target. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco instructed employees to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely, according to six sources familiar with the matter. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that two people were killed and eight others injured in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday evening. The fatalities included a Saudi citizen and an Indian national, while the injured sustained wounds ranging from minor to serious. Authorities said damage assessments were underway, but airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal. In a separate incident, Saudi air defences intercepted a drone attempting to target a facility at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province on Wednesday. According to the Saudi Energy Ministry, two foreign nationals were killed and two others injured after debris from the interception caused a fire in a contractor’s vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter. The fatalities were identified as Philippine and Nepalese nationals, while the injured were Pakistani and Indian citizens. Officials said the incident did not disrupt operations at the oil field and that the relevant authorities had taken the necessary measures. Meanwhile, the United States has ordered some non-emergency diplomatic personnel and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid growing security concerns. US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the decision followed attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement against civilian targets in the kingdom. Four US officials also told Reuters that American missions in other Gulf countries would order some family members to depart, although further details were not immediately available. The withdrawals come amid an escalation in fighting in Yemen, adding another dimension to the wider regional conflict triggered by the US-Israeli war against Iran. The conflict has disrupted global energy trade and placed additional pressure on Gulf economies. Separately, Yemen’s army reported that Houthi forces had targeted Al-Rayyan International Airport in Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout province, for the fourth time within a matter of hours. Army spokesman Major General Majed al-Nuzaili said the repeated attacks on the airport were intended to impose a blockade on the Yemeni population. The Houthis had not immediately commented on the reported incident. The latest developments have heightened concerns over the security of Saudi Arabia’s airports, oil facilities and other strategic infrastructure, while the evacuation of diplomatic personnel underscores growing international apprehension about the expanding regional conflict.