Ballistic Missile Strikes Saudi Aramco Headquarters in Dhahran as Saudi-Houthi Conflict Escalates

A ballistic missile struck the headquarters complex of Saudi Aramco in the eastern city of Dhahran on Tuesday night, damaging the top three floors of an office tower and setting the building ablaze, according to a company source who spoke to Reuters. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that an administrative building belonging to the state oil company was targeted, describing a limited fire and saying no injuries were reported.

The coalition account differed on the cause of the damage: the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a missile over Dhahran and that fragments had fallen on a residential area, without clarifying whether the administrative building took a direct hit or was struck by falling debris. CNN reported the same uncertainty, noting it was not clear whether the fire came from a direct hit or debris.

The complex hosts a major operations center for Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, overseeing a vast network of onshore and offshore oil rigs, pipelines, refineries and export terminals, according to Reuters. Six sources told Reuters they heard loud booms near the complex on Tuesday evening. Aramco had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting, according to Reuters.

Strikes traded on both sides

The Dhahran strike came hours after Saudi Arabia attacked a major fuel depot on the outskirts of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, which the Saudi-led coalition said the Houthis used to support attacks on the kingdom’s airports and energy facilities and on shipping in the Red Sea. Houthi-run Al Masirah television reported the coalition targeted the Yemen Petroleum Company’s al-Sabah station. The Houthis said the attack killed two civilians and injured two, while the coalition said it had warned civilians to leave the area beforehand.

Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said in a statement the operation focused on neutralizing the capabilities the Houthi militia uses to threaten the kingdom, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and maritime corridors.

The coalition also said Tuesday it had intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles and two drones aimed at the Riyadh region and southern Saudi Arabia, and at least four people were injured by falling debris, according to Saudi authorities. Earlier in the day, the coalition reported intercepting a ballistic missile launched toward the eastern province, another aimed at Haradh near the Yemeni border, and three Houthi drones north of Riyadh, according to CNN.

Threats and a deadly week

The Houthis had warned of a “harsh and painful” response to the Saudi strikes on Sanaa, with spokesperson Yahya Saree saying targets could include the Aramco headquarters in Dhahran and an oil refinery in Riyadh, and warning oil workers in Saudi Arabia to stay away from potential targets, according to Reuters.

The strike followed a week of Houthi missile and drone attacks, including four strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. A ballistic missile attack on the airport on Saturday killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, the deadliest attack on Saudi Arabia in more than a decade, according to CNN.

The conflict reignited this summer and intensified last month after years of relative calm, according to CNN. The United States, Britain, Spain and Canada are among the countries warning their citizens against using the airport, and the U.S. State Department on Tuesday expanded travel restrictions for U.S. government personnel in the kingdom, requiring special authorization from the chief of mission to use any airport in Saudi Arabia.

Reporting based on coverage by CNN and Reuters.