Saudi Arabia reported damage to an Aramco building in Dhahran and four people wounded in Riyadh after intercepting Houthi missiles. The attacks followed coalition airstrikes on oil facilities in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia reported damage to an Aramco building in Dhahran and four people wounded in Riyadh on Wednesday, following the interception of Houthi missiles targeting the capital. The incidents occurred after the Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis stated it had intercepted several missiles on Tuesday evening, including over Riyadh.
A Saudi energy ministry official stated that an administrative building belonging to oil giant Aramco in Dhahran was struck on Tuesday evening. The strike resulted in a "limited fire" but caused "no casualties or fatalities," according to the official. Firefighting teams acted swiftly to contain the blaze, as confirmed by a Saudi Ministry of Energy official cited by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
In the capital, Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency reported that four people were wounded by debris from two intercepted Houthi cruise missiles. The agency specified that the wounded included two women, a man, and a child. Additionally, 15 homes were damaged in Riyadh due to the falling debris.
The attacks on Saudi territory followed airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition on oil facilities in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. According to Al Jazeera, the attack on Aramco’s administrative building in Dhahran took place on Tuesday, October 13, just hours after the coalition targeted facilities in Sanaa. Al Jazeera correspondent Youssef Mawry reported hearing heavy explosions as Saudi forces struck the Al-Sabah central oil facility in Sanaa. Mawry added that Saudi forces also carried out two additional rounds of airstrikes targeting Yemeni oil storage tanks at the Ras Isa port and an oil facility in Houthi-controlled Hodeidah province.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree had previously issued warnings to workers and civilians to evacuate areas near Saudi oil facilities, declaring them "legitimate targets." Saree warned that any attack on Sanaa would prompt a "harsh and painful" retaliatory strike on the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Following the coalition's strikes, Saree stated that Houthi fighters were actively engaging Saudi-backed forces in Sanaa and reiterated that continued strikes would lead to targeting Saudi facilities specified in their evacuation warnings.
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki accused the Houthis of utilizing the targeted facility and its underground fuel depots to store missiles and drones. The Yemeni Oil Company noted that its storage tanks were empty at the time of the strikes, ensuring local supplies remained unaffected, though residents reported long queues at gas stations due to fears of fuel shortages.
The escalation occurs amid broader regional tensions. Iran is deploying new tactics to target ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to two senior Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters. These officials stated that Tehran has tried to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. The waterway carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war. The Iranian officials noted that new offensive tactics against vessels considered in violation of restrictions began about 10 days ago, leading to an increase in attacks.
The attacks highlight the intensifying conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels, with direct impacts on critical energy infrastructure. The targeting of Aramco facilities and the resulting injuries in Riyadh underscore the vulnerability of key economic assets in the region. Furthermore, the involvement of Iranian tactics in the Strait of Hormuz suggests a broader geopolitical struggle that continues to influence global oil prices and regional stability.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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