A Saudi Aramco building in Riyadh suffered damage on Sunday after an attempted attack targeted the Saudi capital, as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis continued to intensify.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said falling debris caused limited damage to an Aramco administrative building. However, authorities reported no deaths or injuries.
Witnesses also reported shattered windows and visible damage across several floors of the Aramco Tower in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD). Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack.
The group said it carried out multiple military operations using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against targets in Saudi Arabia.
These included Riyadh’s financial district, King Khalid International Airport, Aramco oil storage facilities and the eastern Saudi city of Abqaiq.
Saudi Air Defences Intercept Missiles The Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted missiles launched towards Riyadh.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said Saudi forces intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the capital.
Authorities also reported intercepting two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and southern areas of the kingdom. Residents heard loud explosions across Riyadh during the interceptions.
Saudi Civil Defence issued an alert before later announcing that the immediate danger had passed. A Reuters witness reported blown-out windows across several floors of the Aramco building.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities said the falling debris caused only limited structural damage.
Riyadh’s Financial District Becomes a Target The King Abdullah Financial District is one of Riyadh’s most prominent business areas and a major part of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation programme.
The district contains high-rise office towers, luxury retail outlets, residential properties and public spaces. It also hosts major Saudi and international businesses, including Goldman Sachs.
The headquarters of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), are also located there. The Saudi stock exchange is based in the district as well.
KAFD also contains a major metro station and receives heavy commuter traffic, particularly during morning hours.
Therefore, an attack on the area represents a significant escalation compared with previous strikes focused mainly on military or energy infrastructure.
Houthis Step Up Attacks on Saudi Arabia Aramco facilities have faced repeated attacks in recent months.
The Houthis have targeted Saudi oil refineries, storage sites, tankers, corporate facilities and other energy infrastructure as hostilities between the two sides resumed.
The latest incident came only hours after Saudi Arabia’s Education Ministry announced that schools in Riyadh would return to in-person classes following weeks of remote learning caused by earlier attacks.
Saudi Arabia has also faced repeated attacks on airports and other civilian infrastructure.
An attack on Riyadh’s international airport in October killed 13 people, marking one of the deadliest attacks inside the kingdom since Saudi Arabia entered the Yemen conflict in 2015.
The Houthis have also recently seized large areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline from forces aligned with the internationally recognised Yemeni government. Yemen Conflict Intensifies Again The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
Saudi Arabia then led a military coalition into Yemen in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. A United Nations-brokered truce introduced in 2022 largely halted major fighting for several years.
However, the ceasefire collapsed in July 2026, triggering a renewed cycle of Saudi strikes and Houthi missile and drone attacks.
According to the account cited by National Press Bureau, tensions rose after the Houthis allowed an Iranian aircraft to land in Sanaa despite Saudi control over Yemeni airspace.
The Houthis later announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and began targeting Saudi vessels, territory and energy infrastructure. The group subsequently expanded its territorial control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The United Nations says more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since the latest round of fighting began.
Pakistan Condemns Houthi Attacks Pakistan has repeatedly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and described them as violations of the kingdom’s sovereignty.
Islamabad and Riyadh currently have two defence arrangements aimed at strengthening collective deterrence.
These include the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which also involves Türkiye.
Under the Makkah Defence Alliance framework, Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish leaders have agreed on mechanisms to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities if required.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said in October that Pakistan was providing Saudi Arabia with “whatever support is needed” amid the continuing Houthi attacks.
However, he also stressed that the alliance has a defensive purpose and does not have an offensive mandate.
The latest attack on Riyadh comes as Saudi Arabia seeks greater assistance from its allies while facing sustained missile and drone attacks from Yemen.