Houthi shrapnel damages Aramco tower in Riyadh
Saudi air defenses intercepted multiple missiles while a coalition airstrike near Sanaa killed at least 33 people, according to Houthi officials.
By Vikram Harrison ·
A structural component of the Saudi Aramco administrative complex in Riyadh sustained minor damage on Sunday after Houthi missiles targeted the capital. An Energy Ministry official confirmed that falling shrapnel struck the Aramco Tower, a key facility in the King Abdullah Financial District. The official stated that no personnel were injured or killed in the incident, and that local authorities had completed their response procedures.
Witnesses reported loud explosions and observed windows blown out across multiple floors of the tower. Saudi Civil Defence issued an early warning to residents before declaring the danger had passed. The Saudi-led coalition announced that its air defense systems intercepted two ballistic missiles heading for Riyadh. It later reported the destruction of two cruise missiles over the capital and the southern region, as well as one additional ballistic missile targeted at the Eastern Province.
The exchange of fire marks a sharp escalation in the conflict following the collapse of the 2022 truce. The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that coalition airstrikes on Saturday killed at least 33 people in the village of al-Shariyah, east of Sanaa. Spokesman Anees al-Asbahi said the strikes hit homes, roads, and emergency response teams in the Bani Hushaish district. He added that at least 39 others were wounded in the attacks, which included eight women and 13 children.
The Saudi-led coalition did not immediately comment on the specific casualty figures reported for al-Shariyah. Al Jazeera noted that it could not independently verify the numbers provided by the Houthi Health Ministry. The lack of immediate response from the coalition left the exact toll of the Saturday strikes unconfirmed by a second source.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the coalition conducted 105 air strikes and missile attacks over the previous 24 hours. He said these attacks targeted Sanaa and seven other governorates. Saree placed the total number of attacks since the latest escalation began at 4,369. He also stated that Houthi forces conducted six operations targeting Aramco facilities, Riyadh airport, and Saudi military positions on both sides of the border.
The current escalation follows a military campaign launched last month by Yemen's internationally recognized government. The campaign aims to retake territory held by the Houthis, including the capital Sanaa, which the group has controlled since 2014.
