Houthi missile hits Aramco headquarters complex in Dhahran; Houthis vow more strikes on Saudi airports and oil sites

Key takeaways

• An administrative building at Saudi Aramco's headquarters complex in Dhahran was attacked late on Tuesday, 13 October, causing what Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry called a "limited fire". The ministry said there were no injuries or deaths.
• A company source told Reuters a ballistic missile struck an office tower and damaged its top three floors. Aramco and Saudi officials have not confirmed exactly which building was hit.
• Yemen's Houthis said on Wednesday they fired ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at Aramco sites in Dhahran, Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh, and told civilians and workers to stay away from airports and oil facilities.
• In Riyadh, debris from two intercepted missiles injured four people (two women, a man and a child) and damaged 15 homes, Saudi Civil Defence said.
• The Saudi-led coalition said it struck fuel sites in Sanaa and Hodeidah used by the Houthis. Riyadh airport has been closed until 17 October, according to Reuters.

What happened in Dhahran

Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, is the centre of the kingdom's oil industry. The Aramco complex there hosts a major operations centre that oversees oil rigs, pipelines, refineries and export terminals.

The Energy Ministry said authorities responded to the incident and took the necessary measures. Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Dhahran and that fragments fell on a residential area. Residents told The National they heard a very loud explosion and saw smoke rising from the area.

Bloomberg and a Reuters company source both described the target as Aramco's headquarters; Saudi authorities have only confirmed an attack on an "administrative building".

What each side says

The Houthis also said their fuel reserves had been moved before the coalition strikes. That claim has not been independently verified.

Why this is happening

The Houthis have been firing missiles and drones at Saudi targets for about a week. They say this is retaliation for Saudi backing of Yemeni government forces in a civil war that restarted last month, after the Houthis advanced down the Red Sea coast towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

That strait has become more important for Saudi energy exports since the US-Iran war began in February and the Strait of Hormuz was closed. Riyadh's airport has been hit four times; Saturday's strike killed 13 people, the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in a decade. A Pakistani resident was killed in a further strike on the airport the next day, as we reported on 12 October.

Iran has offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The United States has so far declined Saudi requests to join the fight directly.

Why it matters for Pakistan and India

• Oil prices rose on Wednesday after news of the Aramco attack, and Saudi stocks slipped, Reuters reported. Both countries rely heavily on imported oil, so higher prices feed into fuel bills.
• Workers and travellers: many Pakistani and Indian workers live in Saudi Arabia. With Riyadh airport closed and airlines cancelling flights, travellers should check with their airline before going to the airport and follow Saudi Civil Defence alerts.

What to watch

• Whether Aramco reports any impact on production, refining or exports. So far none has been announced.
• Further Houthi attacks on airports and refineries, and any reopening date for Riyadh airport after 17 October.
• Whether Iran's mediation offer or US involvement changes the course of the conflict.

This is a developing story and will be updated.