Yemen-based Houthi forces struck the Aramco Tower in central Riyadh on Saturday, causing what Saudi Arabia's energy ministry described as minor damage but which video footage authenticated by BBC Verify showed as more extensive. The tower, located in the Saudi capital's financial district, was hit by a missile or drone strike that shattered windows across multiple floors. No casualties were reported. A statement from the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency confirmed the group had targeted Riyadh's business zone without naming the building specifically.
The Houthis also said they struck Riyadh's airport and Aramco oil storage facilities in separate attacks. Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several missiles. The strikes represented the latest in a series of attacks deep inside Saudi Arabia by the armed group, which the Gulf nation has struggled to contain in recent months.
The attacks came one day after the Houthis accused a Saudi-led coalition of killing at least 33 people, including women and children, in an air strike on al-Shariyah, a town east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Footage broadcast by Houthi-run television showed rescuers pulling bodies from rubble. Saba said 39 people were injured. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the accusation.
A Saudi-led coalition has fought the Houthis for more than a decade in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government. The largely dormant conflict intensified following the outbreak of war with Iran. An informal ceasefire collapsed in July after the Tehran-backed Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and began attacking Saudi airports, oil facilities, and Red Sea tankers. The United Nations said more than 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed.