An administrative building belonging to Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, was attacked in the eastern city of Dhahran, triggering a limited fire, the kingdom’s Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.
Authorities responded to the incident late on Tuesday and took the necessary measures, the ministry said, adding that no deaths or injuries were reported at the site.
However, a company source told Reuters that a ballistic missile had struck the Aramco headquarters complex, damaging the top three floors of an office tower. The source and two other people familiar with the incident said the building had caught fire.
The attack came as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi group intensified, raising concerns over the security of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and the wider regional impact of the conflict.
Missile and Drone Attacks Target Saudi Arabia
The Aramco incident was part of a wider series of reported missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said fragments from a missile intercepted and destroyed over Dhahran fell in a residential area. Authorities also reported intercepting and destroying missiles and drones over Riyadh and the kingdom’s southern region.
Saudi Civil Defence said four people were injured in Riyadh after debris from two intercepted Houthi missiles fell in the capital. Those injured included two women, a man and a child.
The falling debris also caused limited damage to 15 homes, according to a Civil Defence spokesperson.
The latest incidents followed a series of attacks on Saudi territory, including strikes affecting Riyadh’s international airport. The attacks have disrupted aviation operations and heightened security concerns across the kingdom.
Houthis Warned Saudi Oil Facilities Could Be Targeted
The Houthi group had threatened a “harsh and painful” response to Saudi-led strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree warned that potential targets could include Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran and an oil refinery in Riyadh. The group also urged oil workers in Saudi Arabia to stay away from locations it considered potential targets.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of attacking Sanaa. Houthi-run Al-Masirah television reported that the Saudi-led coalition had struck the Sabah central station, a fuel depot operated by the Yemen Petroleum Company on the outskirts of the capital.
The coalition confirmed that it had attacked the station and other locations, saying the operation was intended to neutralise Houthi capabilities to threaten Saudi Arabia, Yemen and international waterways.
The escalation has increased the risk of further attacks on energy facilities and other critical infrastructure across the region.
Houthi Strike on Riyadh Airport Kills 12, Injures More Than 300
Aramco Complex Plays a Key Role in Saudi Oil Operations
The Dhahran complex houses a major Saudi Aramco operations centre responsible for overseeing an extensive network of onshore and offshore oil rigs, pipelines, refineries and export terminals.
Any sustained disruption to the company’s operations could raise concerns about the reliability of energy supplies from one of the world’s leading oil producers.
The incident has also drawn attention to the vulnerability of energy infrastructure as the wider regional conflict continues to threaten shipping routes and oil production facilities.
Saudi Arabia’s cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had warned on Tuesday that the Houthis would face consequences for their repeated attacks on the kingdom.
Yemen Conflict Intensifies Along Strategic Coastline
Saudi Arabia has resumed its military campaign in Yemen in support of the internationally recognised government, seeking to reverse recent advances by the Houthis along the Red Sea coast.
The fighting has intensified around areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is important for international shipping and energy supplies.
A government offensive launched about a week earlier pushed Houthi forces away from the area closest to the strait, but the group remains active nearby and has made gains around the city of Taiz this month, according to the report.
The renewed fighting has added another source of uncertainty to regional energy markets, already affected by the wider US-Iran conflict and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington Declines Direct Involvement in Houthi War
Saudi Arabia has sought broader support from its allies for its campaign against the Houthis and for assistance in defending against missile and drone attacks.
However, the United States, Riyadh’s longstanding security partner, has so far declined Saudi efforts to draw it directly into the conflict with the Houthi group.
The renewed Yemen fighting is unfolding alongside the wider war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which began with US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.
Iran, a longtime regional rival of Saudi Arabia and an ally of the Houthis, has also offered to mediate between Riyadh and the group, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday. The Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterated the position on Monday.
With attacks affecting energy facilities and residential areas, the latest escalation has raised fresh questions about regional security, the safety of commercial shipping and the potential consequences for global energy markets.
