Saudi Aramco Riyadh office hit as Houthi missiles target kingdom

Saudi Aramco’s administrative offices in Riyadh suffered minor damage on Sunday from an attempted attack, as Saudi forces successfully intercepted missiles aimed at the capital and the oil-rich Eastern Province, amid increasing tensions with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The strike on the Aramco building in King Abdullah Financial District resulted in damage from falling debris, but no injuries, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The financial district had been operating remotely for about a month following earlier assaults, reducing activity in the area. Concurrently, Saudi-led forces reported downing various ballistic and cruise missiles launched towards Riyadh, along with further attacks targeting southern and eastern regions.

Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s civil defense agency called off emergency alerts in several Eastern Province locations, including Dhahran, Dammam, Abqaiq, and Al-Ahsa, shortly before the Saudi-led coalition declared it had intercepted a Houthi-fired ballistic missile towards the Eastern region. Dhahran houses the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, which was severely damaged in an attack earlier in October.

The Eastern Province holds a significant portion of the kingdom’s oil and gas reserves, rendering its infrastructure vital to global energy markets.

The attempted attack in Riyadh follows a series of assaults on Saudi energy infrastructure and other strategic targets. In October, strikes on Riyadh’s primary airport resulted in over a dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries, underlining the escalating security threats confronting the capital. The Houthis have consistently launched missiles and drones at Saudi airports, ports, and oil installations since the regional conflict escalated with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran in February.

As a leading crude exporter, any hits on Saudi energy facilities pose a risk to oil markets, particularly given the ongoing disruptions and instability in the broader Middle East. Authorities confirmed no casualties or production/export disruptions from Sunday’s Aramco office incident.