Day 237| US preparing ordered departure of personnel from Gulf embassies: Reuters

• Tehran says the blockade violates the UN Charter and its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• The dispute comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict and continuing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has urged the United Nations Security Council Wednesday to condemn the continued US naval blockade of the country, describing the measure as “a violation of international law” and calling for Washington to end its restrictions on Iranian maritime activity.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the president of the Security Council, Iran’s ambassador and chargé d’affaires said the blockade constituted a “gross violation” of international law and the UN Charter, according to Iranian media.

The Iranian diplomat called on the UN leadership to condemn the US action and demand that Washington respect Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and immediately halt the blockade.

The appeal comes as the maritime standoff between Washington and Tehran continues to complicate efforts to de-escalate the conflict, with both sides maintaining opposing positions over security and navigation in the Persian Gulf and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Read more: Qatar urges Iran to halt 'irresponsible attacks' in Strait of Hormuz

The Saudi-led coalition announced that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed four drones in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.

The announcement comes amid a series of reported Houthi drone and missile threats targeting Saudi Arabia, including attacks and attempted attacks on sites in the Eastern Province, a key oil-producing region.

• The injured sustained wounds ranging from minor to severe and were taken to hospital for treatment.
• Authorities are assessing the material damage caused by the attack.

One person was killed and eight others injured in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday evening, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said on Thursday.

The injured sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe and were transferred to hospital for medical treatment, the authority said.

The attack also caused material damage, the extent of which is still being assessed. The authority said further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.

This comes amid a recent escalation in Houthi aerial threats targeting Saudi Arabia. In recent days, Saudi authorities have reported intercepting drones over several parts of the kingdom, including Riyadh, Medina and the Eastern Province, as regional hostilities continue to threaten security across the Gulf.

Read more: Two killed in drone attack targeting Saudi oil field, energy ministry says

US President Donald Trump defended his decision to go to war with Iran, calling it “one of the greatest things that we’ve done”. He also claimed the military campaign prevented Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Asked whether he regretted going to war, Trump said the decision had taken “a lot of courage,” arguing that no previous president had been willing to take the same step. He further claimed that without the intervention, Iran would “right now have already used massive nuclear weapons.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would not hesitate to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity against any threat or aggression, during a meeting with Poland’s deputy foreign minister.

Araghchi also called on all countries, including European states, to take a principled stance in condemning what Tehran describes as military aggression against Iran and the crimes committed during it.

• Saudi air defences intercepted a drone attempting to strike a facility at the Shaybah oil field on Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to the Energy Ministry.
• Two expatriate workers, from the Philippines and Nepal, were killed, while two others from Pakistan and India were injured.
• A fire broke out in a contractor’s vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter, but oil field operations were unaffected, the ministry said.

Two expatriate workers were killed and two others injured after a drone attempted to target a facility at Saudi Arabia’s Shaybah oil field on Wednesday morning, Oct. 21, the Saudi Energy Ministry said.

Saudi air defences intercepted the drone before it could strike the facility, which is operated by state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, the ministry said.

The incident caused a fire in a vehicle belonging to a contractor working at the site, outside the facility’s perimeter. The ministry said the two people killed were nationals of the Philippines and Nepal, while the injured workers were from Pakistan and India.

The ministry said the relevant authorities had responded to the incident and taken the necessary measures. It added that the attack had not disrupted operations at the oil field.

The incident comes amid heightened security concerns over attacks targeting energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region. Saudi authorities have reported intercepting Houthi drones and missiles aimed at the kingdom in recent days, as tensions linked to the regional conflict continue to threaten critical infrastructure.

Shaybah is a major oil field operated by Saudi Aramco in the Rub' al Khali, or Empty Quarter, near the border with the United Arab Emirates. Its remote location and strategic importance make the protection of its facilities a key security concern for Saudi Arabia.