Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran suffered extensive damage following a Houthi missile strike, with the office of chief executive Amin Nasser among those severely affected, as Saudi authorities confirmed a fire at the complex.The attack on Tuesday night damaged several floors of an administrative building at the headquarters of the world's largest oil company. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy acknowledged the incident but described the resulting fire as limited, saying there were no casualties.
Accounts from people familiar with the damage indicated that the destruction was considerably more extensive than the ministry's initial description suggested. The sixth through tenth floors of the building's southern wing were particularly affected, with collapsed ceilings, shattered windows and damaged doors.
The upper floors housing senior executives sustained substantial destruction. The precise condition of Nasser's office has not been independently established, although people familiar with the incident described it as severely damaged. There was no confirmation that the chief executive was present during the attack.
Aramco had not issued a detailed public assessment of the damage or disclosed the financial implications of the strike. The company continued operating its principal facilities, although employees were instructed to work remotely and some administrative functions were transferred to offices elsewhere.
The Dhahran complex houses a central operations facility responsible for overseeing Aramco's extensive network of oilfields, refineries, export terminals and pipelines. The attack therefore raised concerns about the security of infrastructure supporting Saudi Arabia's petroleum industry.
No interruption to crude production or exports was confirmed following the incident. The distinction between damage to administrative facilities and disruption to production infrastructure remains significant for assessing the immediate consequences for international energy supplies.
Yemen's Houthi movement claimed responsibility for targeting Dhahran with a ballistic missile, describing the operation as retaliation for Saudi military action against territory under its control.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree had previously identified Aramco facilities among potential targets and warned employees to leave installations considered vulnerable to attack. The movement also threatened further operations against Saudi airports and petroleum infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia's military coalition said its air defences intercepted ballistic and cruise missiles and drones directed towards several locations, including Riyadh, Dhahran and Al-Kharj.
The coalition acknowledged a ballistic missile targeting Dhahran but did not provide a comprehensive technical explanation of how the headquarters building sustained damage despite interception operations.
Saudi authorities separately confirmed that debris from an intercepted missile injured an Arab expatriate in Riyadh on Wednesday. Civil Defence said fragments struck a residential property and vehicle, causing material damage.
The incidents followed an intensification of hostilities between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis, who control Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and substantial territory in the country's north.
Saudi military operations have targeted Houthi-controlled oil installations and other facilities, while the movement has expanded attacks against Saudi aviation, industrial and energy infrastructure.
The Saudi-led coalition said strikes against petroleum facilities in Houthi-controlled areas were intended to reduce the movement's capacity to threaten Saudi territory, Yemen and regional shipping routes.
Yemen's Houthi-controlled Health Ministry said two people were killed in an attack on the Ras Isa port area in Hodeidah province. The ministry attributed the deaths to Saudi-led military operations.
The escalating confrontation has disrupted commercial aviation across Saudi Arabia. Aviation data indicated that more than 3,000 scheduled departures had been cancelled or were not operating during the preceding week.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has faced repeated attacks, prompting airlines to suspend services and raising concerns about the ability of Saudi air defences to protect civilian infrastructure against sustained missile and drone operations.
The renewed fighting has also prompted diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire. Houthi political bureau member Mohamed al-Bukhaiti acknowledged contacts involving Oman, Russia and China aimed at reopening negotiations.
Al-Bukhaiti said the movement was prepared to consider an agreement ending military operations and restrictions affecting Houthi-controlled territory, rather than accepting another temporary cessation of hostilities.
Humanitarian organisations have warned that the fighting is worsening conditions across Yemen. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported a sharp increase in casualties requiring treatment along several front lines.
The World Food Programme said access restrictions had prevented it from reaching more than 600,000 people dependent on assistance in the besieged city of Taiz.
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