Riyadh: Yemen’s Houthis threatened further attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities on Wednesday, claiming responsibility for strikes including an attack on Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran.
The Saudi Energy Ministry said Tuesday’s attack on the headquarters caused a limited fire, with no deaths or injuries.
A company source told that a ballistic missile struck an office tower in the complex and damaged its upper three floors. The headquarters houses a major operations centre overseeing Aramco’s energy infrastructure.
The Houthis said they had launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at facilities in Dhahran, King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh. Their statement did not specify when each attack took place.
The group urged civilians, workers and international shipping companies to leave airports and oil facilities, which it described as military targets.
The Saudi led coalition separately said it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile heading towards Riyadh on Wednesday.
Loud booms were heard in the capital after authorities issued an aerial threat warning, which was later lifted. Their cause was not immediately established.
The Houthis said their attacks were retaliation for Saudi support to Yemeni government forces. The coalition said it struck sites in Yemen on Tuesday to reduce the group’s ability to threaten Saudi Arabia, Yemen and international waterways.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun condemned attacks on Saudi civilian and economic facilities and called for their immediate cessation.
Riyadh’s international airport remains closed until October 17 following repeated attacks. A strike there on Saturday killed 13 people.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015. A UN brokered truce in 2022 maintained a fragile peace before renewed fighting this year.
