Houthis Strike Saudi Aramco Offices in Dhahran; No Injuries Reported

Saudi officials confirmed that an administrative building belonging to oil giant Saudi Aramco was targeted overnight in the city of Dhahran. The strike, attributed to Iran-backed Houthi militants, caused a fire but resulted in no injuries, according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Energy.

Details of the Attack

The attack damaged the top three floors of the building, which houses the offices of the firm’s chief executive and other top officials, according to two regional officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Saudi energy ministry reported a "limited fire" at the Aramco building Tuesday night. Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Houthis had warned earlier that they were targeting Dhahran. This strike is part of a series of attacks on Saudi targets over the past week, including airport attacks in Riyadh that led to multiple fatalities, flight cancellations, and property damage. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport remains closed until Saturday.

Regional Escalation and Rhetoric

The violence coincides with heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. Iran Revolutionary Guard chief Ali Ozmaei said Wednesday that Tehran is "counting the moments" until it can sink American warships, according to Iranian state-affiliated media. "If the Americans think the Strait of Hormuz is open, let them come closer. We are impatient to sink American warships," Ozmaei reportedly said in a televised interview.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that American forces would not attack Iran before the midterm election, which will take place on Nov. 3. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command refuted Iranian claims that the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s control. "IRGC’s navy commander has no navy. American forces and regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz," Centcom said in a post on X. "Just yesterday U.S. forces assisted Gulf partners in shipping more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the strait."

Diplomatic and Humanitarian Impact

The Houthis described the attacks as retaliation for "treacherous Saudi aggression" against the rebel-held Yemeni capital of Sanaa. A senior Houthi official, Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, told The Associated Press that regional and international powers, including Oman, Russia, and China, have reached out to stop the attacks as part of a ceasefire deal. "We’re welcoming any mediation that leads to an end of the war and the blockade between Sanaa and Riyadh," al-Bukhaiti said.

The conflict has severely impacted aviation and humanitarian efforts. Over 3,000 flights scheduled to depart from airports across Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or listed as not operating in the past week, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported an "unprecedented surge in weapon-wounded cases" in Yemen, while the World Food Program stated it can no longer reach over 600,000 people in the besieged city of Taiz.

Why it matters

The targeting of Saudi Aramco facilities highlights the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the region and raises questions about the effectiveness of Saudi air defenses. The escalation threatens global oil markets and complicates U.S. diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, particularly as the U.S. approaches its midterm elections.

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Sources

• cnbc.com: Iran ‘counting the moments’ until it can attack American warships
• ctvnews.ca: Saudi Arabia: New explosions heard in Riyadh

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.