Saudi Aramco headquarters struck as Houthis intensify attacks on oil infrastructure

CALGARY — Offices belonging to senior executives at Saudi Aramco were struck by Houthi forces in an overnight attack that damaged the oil giant’s headquarters, as escalating regional hostilities continue to threaten oil supplies and push crude prices higher.According to multiple regional officials, the attack on Aramco’s office complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, damaged the top three floors of a tower used by senior executives, including the office of the company's CEO, Amin Nasser..Bloomberg reports employees were instructed to work from home following the incident, and that oil production was not affected.Saudi authorities said that a fire broke out at the site, but no casualties have been reported.The attacks continued Wednesday, with missiles targeting several locations, including the Saudi capital, Riyadh..The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it intercepted multiple projectiles aimed at Kharj, Dhahran, Haradh, and southern Saudi Arabia.At least 18 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Saudi Arabia during the past week of fighting.The Saudi cabinet warned that the Houthis would “bear the consequences” of repeated attacks on airports and civilian and economic sites.On Wednesday, Yahya Qasim Saree, a spokesman for the Houthi-aligned Yemeni Armed Forces, confirmed the Houthis targeted Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh, as well as King Khalid International Airport..“A large number of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and drones were used, and the strike was accurate thanks to God, causing destruction and fires at the targeted sites,” he said, adding that all Saudi airports and Aramco facilities were now "legitimate targets." .The ongoing violence has added to global concerns over international oil supplies, as Iran has also escalated attacks on ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes.Brent crude has also been trading at over US$100 a barrel for over a month, while the Saudi market has also reacted to the escalation, with the Tadawul All Share Index dropping by as much as 1.8% on Wednesday, reaching its lowest level since March 2023, while Aramco shares fell by as much as 1.6%.Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure has increasingly become a target during the hostilities.A refinery in Jazan, in the west of the kingdom, has remained shut down following an earlier attack, while a major oil-exporting port on the Red Sea coast has also been targeted.A cross-country pipeline that has served as Aramco’s main route for moving oil to international markets was also temporarily closed after an attack last month..On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump accused the Houthis of deliberately attempting to increase oil prices at Iran’s direction ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.“The Houthis are behaving very badly, I thought they learned their lesson a year ago when we bombed the hell out of them and, at their request, stopped,” Trump posted on Truth Social.“I’ll be there after the Elections, and I will never forget!”

Saudi Aramco headquarters struck as Houthis intensify attacks on oil infrastructure

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