Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Oil Giant Aramco, Vow Further Strikes

Yemen’s Houthi movement said on Wednesday that it had targeted facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco, following reports from Saudi officials that a building in an area housing the company’s energy operations centre had been struck.

Powerful explosions were also heard across the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted a missile launched by the Iran-backed group towards the city. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, has faced a series of attacks in recent days, including a strike on Riyadh’s international airport that reportedly killed 13 people in the kingdom’s deadliest attack in years.

In retaliation, Saudi-led coalition forces have carried out strikes against Houthi strongholds in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, which has remained under the group’s control for years.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had conducted a “high-quality military operation” targeting Aramco facilities in Dhahran, alongside attacks on Riyadh airport and an oil refinery in the Saudi capital.

He said the operations involved missiles and drones, warning that further attacks would follow in the coming days, targeting Saudi airports and oil facilities.

Earlier, a Saudi energy ministry official confirmed that a building belonging to Aramco in Dhahran had been hit, causing a limited fire but no reported casualties or fatalities.

Dhahran houses Aramco’s headquarters, a sprawling complex comprising multiple office buildings and residential compounds.

Two Aramco employees, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said a tower within the headquarters complex was struck overnight. One employee claimed that the building’s top three floors had been destroyed, while another source familiar with the incident confirmed the strike and damage to the structure.

AFP was unable to independently verify the extent of the damage because journalists had not been granted access to the site.

Explosions and Air Raid Alerts in Riyadh

Although most Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have targeted infrastructure on the outskirts of Riyadh, recent strikes appear to be approaching the city centre.

An AFP journalist reported seeing residents stop their cars in downtown Riyadh to watch the sky as air defence missiles streaked overhead on Tuesday night, leaving white trails before explosions were heard.

A witness walking along a major avenue told AFP that he had seen a projectile pass above a shopping mall, leaving a yellowish trail of light followed by smoke before an explosion rang out.

“People were calm; no one was speaking. We were scared and all looking up at the sky,” the witness said, requesting anonymity.

Further explosions were reported in Riyadh on Wednesday. Phone alerts warned residents of an aerial threat and urged them to seek shelter.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition carried out strikes against oil facilities across western Yemen on Tuesday. Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said the targets were being used to threaten Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and regional waterways.

The coalition has supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis since 2015, during a prolonged civil war that has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.

In Sanaa, civilians in Houthi-controlled areas have rushed to fuel stations to queue for supplies amid fears of shortages, according to an AFP journalist.

Saudi Arabia Issues Fresh Warnings

The latest escalation follows Saturday’s attack on Riyadh’s international airport, which reportedly killed 13 people, marking the deadliest assault on Saudi Arabia in years.

During a cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi government vowed to protect the kingdom’s security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Daily life in Riyadh has also been affected. Traffic has eased noticeably this week after authorities introduced remote learning for schools and work-from-home arrangements for employees at some companies.

The Saudi Pro League announced the postponement of three football fixtures, including a match involving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Organisers also delayed the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament, which had been scheduled to begin the following week, until December.

Despite the escalating security situation, Saudi Arabia intends to proceed later this month with a major investment conference in Riyadh, widely known as “Davos in the Desert.” Diplomatic sources told AFP that organisers were offering both in-person and virtual participation, alongside alternative air and land travel arrangements.

Saudi Arabia is also facing economic and trade challenges linked to Iran’s restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East war involving the United States and Israel began in February.

Although the resumption of operations in July along Yemen’s previously frozen conflict has intensified the threat to Saudi territory, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have also put pressure on the kingdom’s alternative export routes.