Houthi Missile Attack Damages Aramco Building in Riyadh's Financial Hub

An administrative building belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District sustained damage from falling debris following a Houthi missile attack, the Saudi Arabian Energy Ministry reported. The incident occurred after Saudi Civil Defense issued an early-warning alert for a potential threat to the city. Verified video footage circulating on social media shows damage to several floors of the Aramco building, with windows blown out, though Saudi authorities stated the impact was minimal. The official Saudi news agency, citing a source at the Saudi Energy Ministry, confirmed that the attempted attack resulted in shrapnel causing minor damage, with no injuries or fatalities reported. However, one witness reported seeing ambulances heading to the area. The Houthis, who have conducted numerous missile and drone attacks across Saudi Arabia in recent months, have not yet claimed responsibility for this specific incident. Multiple loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital early Sunday. The Saudi-led coalition announced that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed two cruise missiles in Riyadh and the southern region, with coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki also stating that two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia towards Riyadh were intercepted and destroyed. These attacks on Riyadh follow a day after Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry claimed that Saudi airstrikes near Sanaa had killed at least 33 people, including women and children. A senior Houthi official, Mahdi al-Mashat, vowed retribution against the Saudi regime for its actions in Yemen. Last month, a missile strike on Riyadh's international airport resulted in 13 fatalities, with additional casualties reported in other strikes on the airport. The Houthis have indicated their intention to continue missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia as long as the Kingdom conducts airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and maintains a blockade. Saudi Arabia's defense spending reached $83 billion last year, positioning it among the top ten global military spenders, with acquisitions including US fighter jets and advanced air defense systems. The Kingdom faces significant defense challenges due to its size and threats from Iran, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, and the Houthis. While Saudi defense systems are intercepting many Houthi projectiles, some manage to penetrate. Analysts suggest the Houthis are employing a strategy of combining ballistic and cruise missiles with long-range drones to challenge Saudi defenses. In Yemen, the Saudi-backed coalition is working to prevent Houthi advances towards the port of Aden. Hostilities between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia resumed in July, ending a UN-brokered ceasefire from 2022.