Houthi Missile Attack Damages Aramco Headquarters in Riyadh

A Houthi missile attack on Riyadh caused damage to Saudi oil giant Aramco's corporate headquarters on Sunday. Debris from intercepted missiles shattered windows across several floors of the building. The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed the damage but said the incident caused no injuries or deaths. The ministry described the damage as limited and did not directly attribute the attack to any party.

The Saudi-led coalition reported that its air defenses intercepted Houthi missiles over Riyadh in the early hours of Sunday. Yemen's Houthi group later claimed responsibility for the attack. The strike comes amid a sharp escalation between the Yemeni group and Saudi Arabia, which has become another front in the wider US-Israeli war against Iran. The attacks have disrupted normal activities across the kingdom.

Several Saudi schools resumed classroom lessons on Sunday after weeks of remote education, while government agencies returned to their offices after earlier security concerns prompted a shift to remote work. Aramco has faced repeated Houthi attacks in recent weeks. The group previously targeted the company's headquarters in Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, which holds much of the kingdom's oil and gas reserves.

The Saudi-led coalition also reported the interception of another Houthi missile over the Eastern Province on Sunday. It said its forces destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Saada, Yemen, which the group had used in the attack on Riyadh. Saudi Arabia faces an expanding Houthi threat, with tensions intensifying in September after the Houthis advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Houthi group has expanded its missile and drone attacks against Saudi infrastructure, with ports and airports among its targets. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group also targeted Riyadh's international airport on Sunday. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the claim. An earlier attack on the airport in October killed 13 people and injured more than 300.

Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. The latest round of violence followed claims by the Houthi-run health ministry that Saudi strikes killed at least 33 people near Sanaa on Saturday. Saudi authorities said they were investigating the reported deaths. Riyadh has also turned to international partners for military support to counter the group's growing missile and drone capabilities.

The United Kingdom announced in October that it would deploy Royal Air Force fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities from Houthi attacks. Saudi Arabia has also pursued diplomatic contacts to prevent further regional escalation. Last month, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan met with Iranian officials in Tehran, seeking to address regional security concerns amid the wider war.

Key points

• The Houthi attack on Aramco's headquarters in Riyadh caused damage but no injuries or deaths.
• The Saudi-led coalition intercepted Houthi missiles over Riyadh and destroyed two ballistic missile launchers in Saada, Yemen.
• Saudi Arabia faces an expanding Houthi threat, with the group targeting ports, airports, and other infrastructure.