The financial district of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was targeted by strikes on Sunday, November 8, amid heightened military tensions with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Several witnesses reported explosions in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), one of the kingdom’s main business centers. A building belonging to the oil giant Saudi Aramco was damaged, according to eyewitness accounts gathered on site. This attack comes as the Saudi-led military coalition claims to have intercepted several missiles aimed at the capital. No precise human toll had been communicated in the initial hours following the events.
Saudi authorities announced they intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles attributed to the Houthis, a Yemeni armed movement supported by Iran. The coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Malki, also reported the destruction of two cruise missiles directed towards Riyadh and the south of the country. Despite these announced interceptions, damage was observed in the financial district. Three witnesses notably confirmed that the Aramco tower was hit or damaged. The exact circumstances of the damage remain to be established, particularly to determine whether it resulted from a direct impact or from falling debris after an interception. Authorities have not yet provided a full assessment of the material damage.
Saudi economic infrastructures exposed again
This new attack is part of the military escalation opposing Saudi Arabia to the Houthis since the resumption of fighting in Yemen. Riyadh supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government, while the rebels still control part of the territory, notably the capital Sanaa. In recent weeks, the Houthis have increased missile and drone strikes against Saudi strategic installations. Oil infrastructures are among their main targets. In October, a building in the Aramco complex in Dhahran, in the eastern part of the kingdom, was already damaged during an attack. Saudi authorities then announced that no casualties were reported.
Attacks on energy facilities and financial centers represent a major challenge for Saudi Arabia, whose economy remains closely linked to oil production and export. Saudi Aramco, one of the largest oil companies in the world, plays a central role in the kingdom’s revenues and in international energy supply. The targeting of Riyadh’s financial district also occurs as the country seeks to develop its financial activities and diversify its economy. At this stage, no interruption of oil production related to Sunday’s events has been confirmed. However, the continuation of fire exchanges between the Houthis and Saudi forces raises fears of escalating regional tensions in a Middle East already marked by several conflicts.
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