Houthi debris damages Aramco tower in Riyadh
Saudi officials said the damage was limited and no one was injured after falling fragments from intercepted missiles struck the skyscraper in the financial district.
By Rebecca Foster ·
Falling debris from intercepted missiles damaged a Saudi Aramco administrative building in Riyadh on Sunday, November 8. The Saudi Energy Ministry stated that the damage to the tower was limited and that no people were killed or injured. A Reuters witness confirmed shattered windows on several floors of the Aramco Tower, which is located in the King Abdullah Financial District.
The Saudi-led coalition initially reported intercepting two missiles launched toward the capital by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. In a later update, the coalition specified that two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed. One fell in Riyadh, while the other was destroyed in the kingdom’s southern region. Aramco did not immediately comment, and the Houthis issued no immediate statement regarding the specific strike on the tower.
The Aramco Tower is one of the tallest structures in the financial district. The area serves as a showcase for Saudi economic reform efforts and contains upscale shops, green spaces, and residential properties. A major metro station in the district draws heavy commuter traffic during morning hours, making the location a high-profile target.
Earlier on Sunday, witnesses in Riyadh heard several loud explosions. These sounds followed warnings from Saudi Civil Defense for parts of the Eastern Province, including Dhahran, where Aramco headquarters are located. Most of Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas reserves are in that province. An attack in October had already extensively damaged the company’s headquarters.
The conflict has escalated since fighting resumed in July. The Houthis have intensified missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports, ports, and oil installations. Saudi forces have responded with airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. This renewed hostilities broke a United Nations-negotiated truce from 2022. Saudi Arabia first led a coalition into Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government against Houthi forces.
The attack on Riyadh follows a report from the previous day. The Houthi-run health ministry in Yemen stated that Saudi airstrikes killed at least 33 people near Sanaa. Saudi authorities said they were investigating those strikes. A previous strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 killed 13 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi authorities.
The Houthis recently captured stretches of the Red Sea coastline from the government backed by Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has been seeking assistance from allies while facing daily Houthi fire. The renewed conflict is part of a wider Middle East war that reignited after US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February.
