Saudi governor inspects Aramco’s Riyadh office after Houthi-caused damage

Saudi Arabia’s deputy governor of Riyadh has inspected an Aramco administrative building in the capital that was damaged in an attack by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group, state news agency SPA reports.

Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz says the attack underscores the Houthis’ targeting of civilian facilities, according to SPA. He directs authorities to provide support for Aramco employees.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry reported limited damage to the Aramco Tower in the capital’s financial district, with no injuries or fatalities, without identifying those responsible.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, as they have stepped up strikes on Saudi infrastructure amid the wider US-Israeli war with Iran.

The Houthis have ramped up strikes on Aramco facilities in recent weeks, including the oil giant’s headquarters in Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Fighting between the Houthis and the coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government intensified after the Houthis advanced in September toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic shipping chokepoint on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday that its East-West oil pipeline was struck in the Medina region, causing a limited fire that was later extinguished. The attack caused no casualties and did not affect pipeline operations, SPA said.