Riyadh financial district targeted, Aramco tower damaged: witnesses

The King Abdullah Financial District in central Riyadh came under missile fire on Sunday, with multiple witnesses confirming that the district's Aramco tower sustained damage even as the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting projectiles launched by Yemen's Houthis, according to AFP.

Witnesses report damage to energy giant's tower

Residents near the King Abdullah Financial District reported hearing explosions as the attack unfolded. "Aramco tower in KAFD has been targeted, that's the sure thing," one witness told the news agency, referring to the high-rise building that dominates the skyline of the purpose-built business hub. Two other witnesses independently confirmed seeing damage to the structure, though details regarding the extent of the impact remained unclear immediately after the incident.

Coalition says missiles intercepted

The Saudi-led military coalition, which has been engaged in operations against Houthi forces in Yemen since 2015, stated earlier that it had intercepted missiles launched by the group toward the kingdom. The coalition did not immediately confirm whether any projectiles had evaded air defenses to strike targets within the capital. Sunday's incident marks the latest in a series of cross-border attacks that have escalated despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the protracted conflict.

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement has repeatedly targeted Saudi oil installations and urban centers throughout the eight-year war, including a major strike on Abqaiq in 2019 that temporarily halved the kingdom's crude output. Riyadh and Tehran restored diplomatic relations in 2023, but violence along the Saudi-Yemeni border has persisted as UN-mediated peace talks struggle to achieve a lasting ceasefire between the coalition and Sanaa-based forces.