Aramco office damaged in Houthi attack in Riyadh
Aramco’s office in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District. File photo: Reuters
An Aramco building in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh has been attacked. Eyewitnesses said the building was targeted and sustained damage. Glass windows on several floors were shattered, while parts of the building’s front facade were also damaged.
KAFD is one of Riyadh’s most important commercial districts. It features glass-clad skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls and green spaces. The area also has residential buildings and a busy metro station. It is one of the most visible symbols of Saudi Arabia’s economic and social reform program. An attack on the district could significantly escalate tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
Hours before the attack, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education announced that in-person classes would resume in Riyadh after several weeks of online learning. Online classes had been introduced following Houthi attacks.
On Sunday morning, Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said on social media that air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis as they approached Riyadh. Explosions were heard in the Saudi capital at the time.
A ceasefire was reached in 2022 to end Yemen’s prolonged conflict. However, it collapsed last July. Since then, Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis have been engaged in a series of attacks against each other. The Houthis have targeted Saudi airports, energy infrastructure and military installations. Recently, the group seized large areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast from the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The following year, a Saudi-led coalition joined the conflict to support the internationally recognized government.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is seeking assistance from its allies to counter Houthi attacks. Several Yemeni officials told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency that preparations are underway to deploy thousands of Syrian troops to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Some troops have already arrived.
According to the United Nations, more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed in Yemen.
Source: Al Jazeera (Adapted)
