A ballistic missile hit the headquarters complex of state oil company “Saudi Aramco“ in Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia. A company source told Reuters about the strike.
A tall office building was hit, damaging its top three floors. Other sources said a fire broke out in the building. The Saudi Energy Ministry later reported a limited fire in an administrative building and said there were no deaths or injuries.
Discrepancy in hit data
The accounts of what happened are not entirely identical. A source from “Saudi Aramco“, quoted by Reuters, spoke of a direct hit by a ballistic missile on the complex. The Saudi-led coalition reports that a missile was intercepted and destroyed over Dhahran, and fragments fell in a residential area.
There was no official comment from “Saudi Aramco“. It was not reported whether the damage to the building caused the disruption of the operations center.
Key center for the oil sector
The Dhahran complex is home to the main operations center of “Saudi Aramco“. It manages a network of oil platforms on land and at sea, pipelines, refineries and export terminals.
Due to the company's role in the kingdom's economy, the attack targeted one of the most important energy sites in Saudi Arabia. So far, there is no information from company representatives about serious damage to oil facilities or a change in production and exports.
Escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis
Saudi authorities report that they have intercepted and destroyed missiles and drones over the capital Riyadh and in the south of the country. The attacks have been going on for about a week and are targeting key Saudi sites.
The Houthis present the strikes as a response to Saudi Arabia's support for government forces fighting them in Yemen. Riyadh International Airport has been hit four times, including in an attack on Saturday that killed 13 people. Reuters reports that earlier strikes have also led to serious disruptions to air traffic.
The Houthis previously said that Saudi Arabia had attacked Sanaa. The movement-affiliated Al-Masirah TV reported a strike on the Yemeni Oil Company's Sabah central station. The Saudi-led coalition warned civilians to stay away from an oil depot on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital.
Further official statements should specify the extent of the damage in Dhahran, the presence of damage to other sites and whether the attack will affect the work of Saudi Aramco.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, reuters.com