Nepali citizen killed in Saudi drone attack on oil field

A Nepali citizen was among two expatriates killed on Wednesday in a drone attack targeting a Saudi Aramco oil facility at the Shaybah oil field in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, the Saudi Ministry of Energy announced.A Filipino citizen also died in the incident, while a Pakistani and an Indian citizen sustained injuries. Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone attempting to target one of the oil field’s processing facilities.The attempted attack caused a fire in a contractor’s vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter, but it did not affect operational activities at the oil field, according to the ministry.Following the attack, the US State Department ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia to leave the country. US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that Houthi rebels have escalated hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, leading to civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have increased drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, which they claim are in retaliation for Saudi-led bombing in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Earlier this month, 12 people, including an Indian citizen, died in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10.The Nepali Embassy in Saudi Arabia has urged Nepali citizens not to photograph, record, or share images of missile and drone attacks or interceptions, warning that violating Saudi security directives could lead to legal action. On October 14, 2026, the embassy confirmed that two Nepalis injured in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia were safe. Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Nepali Embassy in Riyadh is prioritizing the safety of Nepali workers and coordinating necessary measures.The Saudi Ministry of Energy has not disclosed who was responsible for the drone attack. The US embassy has also advised American government employees in Saudi Arabia to obtain special permission from the chief of mission before using any airport in the kingdom due to recent missile and drone attacks. Major airlines such as Lufthansa and Air France have canceled flights to Riyadh until mid-November.