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Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, where a Houthi missile reportedly struck an administrative building, causing a fire (Img: Aramco website)
New Delhi: A missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck Saudi Aramco’s executive headquarters in Dhahran, triggering a fire and heightening tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed the incident, according to the reports.
Emergency response teams quickly contained the fire at an administrative building within the state-owned oil company’s headquarters. Authorities reported no casualties and said damage was limited with operations continuing after the strike. Aramco had not issued an immediate public comment.
The Tuesday attack followed a warning from Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, who urged civilians and workers to evacuate Saudi oil facilities. The warning came after the Saudi-led coalition called for civilians to leave the Yemeni Oil Company’s al-Sabah central station in Houthi controlled Sanaa ahead of planned military operations.
Saudi energy infrastructure has faced repeated threats during the escalating confrontation. According to reports , an earlier Houthi attack forced the shutdown of the Jazan refinery while another targeted a major oil export terminal on the Red Sea.
An Aramco pipeline transporting crude oil to international markets was also temporarily shut following an earlier attack launched from Iraq. Dhahran is a major centre of Saudi Arabia’s energy industry, hosting Aramco’s headquarters alongside important petroleum facilities and military installations.
The Houthis have expanded their campaign beyond oil facilities with missile and drone attacks reportedly targeting Saudi airports, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Al Jazeera reported at least 18 deaths and hundreds of injuries in attacks over recent days. The Saudi led coalition also said it intercepted three Houthi drones north of Riyadh on Tuesday.
The latest developments followed Saudi led airstrikes in Yemen. Reports indicated explosions in Sanaa after coalition aircraft targeted the al-Sabah oil facility while strikes on Ras Isa port and fuel infrastructure in Hodeidah province.
Saree warned that further Saudi strikes on Sanaa would prompt a “harsh and painful” response against Riyadh and other strategic sites. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, warned of consequences for attacks on civilian infrastructure. The latest exchange underscores the growing risks to energy supplies and critical infrastructure as the regional conflict intensifies.
