India’s Embassy in Saudi Arabia dispelled initial reports suggesting an Indian national was among those killed in an Iranian projectile strike on the Al Kharj governorate south of Riyadh, confirming that the sole Indian involved in the incident survived and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
Taking to X (formmerly Twitter) the Indian Embassy stated: “It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening. The Embassy has been in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding this issue. Counsellor (CW) Shri Y. Sabir visited Al Kharj last night and met the injured Indian national involved in this unfortunate incident. He is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al Kharj.”
What Happened in Al Kharj: Two Killed, Twelve Injured
The strike that prompted the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia’s statement was first reported by AFP on Sunday. Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency confirmed that a “military projectile” struck a residential area in Al Kharj governorate, killing two people and injuring twelve others.
“A military munition fell on a residential site, resulting in two deaths and (12) injuries among residents in Al-Kharj Governorate.” read the statement.
A follow-up statement from the Saudi Arabia Civil Defence agency subsequently clarified the nationalities of the casualties, correcting the initial reporting: “Following up on the initial statement regarding the direct fall of a military projectile on a residential site in Al-Kharj Governorate, and after completing all final procedures, it has been determined that the two fatalities are of Bangladeshi nationality, (11) injured persons of Bangladeshi nationality, and (1) injured person of Indian nationality.”
The Saudi Arabia civil defence agency had earlier said an Indian and a Bangladeshi national were killed by an unspecified “military projectile” that hit a residential area, according to the statement, which did not mention Iran by name. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said earlier on Sunday that they targeted radar systems in locations including Saudi’s Al-Kharj.
Al Kharj: A Strategic Target in Iran’s Gulf Campaign
Al Kharj is not an incidental location. The governorate is home to one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant air bases and has been struck repeatedly over the past week as Iran has escalated its campaign of missile and drone attacks against Gulf neighbours in retaliation for the US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic.
The targeting of residential areas in the vicinity of the base underscores the humanitarian dimension of a conflict that has rapidly extended beyond the borders of Iran itself, drawing in civilian communities across the Gulf region — including the large South Asian migrant worker populations that form the backbone of the Gulf’s labour force.