Fire Hits Saudi Aramco Headquarters in Houthi Missile Attack as Damage to Oil Facilities Spreads
Summary
- A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels triggered a fire at the Aramco headquarters complex of Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company.
- Saudi Arabia's key oil infrastructure, including refineries, a crude export port, and the East-West pipeline, has come under repeated attack, leading to more shutdowns.
- Damage to oil production and transport facilities, as well as the Aramco headquarters, is raising concerns over greater uncertainty in Middle East crude supply chains.
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A fire broke out at the headquarters complex of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company, during a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels, Bloomberg reported.
Bloomberg reported on October 13 that a fire erupted a day earlier in part of the Aramco headquarters complex in Dhahran, in eastern Saudi Arabia, during the missile attack. The blaze was later extinguished, though the extent of the damage has not been confirmed. It remains unclear whether the fire was caused by a direct missile hit or by debris falling during an interception attempt.
The Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen said the Houthis had launched missiles toward several cities, including the capital Riyadh and Dhahran, where Aramco's headquarters is located. Debris from missile interceptions also reportedly fell in some residential areas of Dhahran. Aramco and Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry did not issue an official statement on the fire.
The Houthis have recently continued attacks targeting major cities and airports across Saudi Arabia. The attacks have killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds. Before the latest strike, the Saudi-led coalition had warned residents living near oil facilities in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital controlled by the Houthis, to evacuate for safety.
Saudi Arabia's key oil infrastructure has also come under repeated attack. A refinery in the western Jazan region remains shut after an earlier strike, and a key crude export port on the Red Sea coast was also hit. The East-West pipeline that Aramco uses to transport crude to international markets was temporarily shut last month after an attack launched from Iraq.
Dhahran, where Aramco's headquarters is located, is the center of Saudi Arabia's oil industry. It sits in the eastern region, home to major oil fields and the Persian Gulf coast. With attacks on oil production and transport facilities continuing, damage reaching Aramco's headquarters may add to uncertainty around Middle East crude supply chains.
