Saudi Arabia: Riyadh financial district hit, Aramco building damaged

Several witnesses told AFP that Riyadh's financial district was hit on Sunday and a building of giant Aramco damaged, after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis. The Saudi capital, particularly its airport, has been regularly targeted since October by fire from pro-Iranian fighters who are fighting against the Yemeni government, supported by the coalition.

But targeting this symbolic neighborhood could constitute a significant escalation in the conflict between the kingdom and the Houthis, who had accused Saudi forces of two deadly attacks targeting civilians on Friday and Saturday in Yemen. “The Aramco tower at KAFD was targeted, that's for sure,” said one of the witnesses, referring to King Abdullah's financial district. Two other witnesses said they observed damage to the building.

Several floors of the building appeared to have been damaged, a witness said, reporting broken windows and visible damage to part of the tower's facade. The coalition had earlier announced the interception of two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis targeting the capital Riyadh, shortly after the authorities issued an alert and the reporting of powerful explosions by AFP journalists.

The kingdom “intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi terrorist militia towards Riyadh,” Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the coalition, said on X. He also announced the destruction of two cruise missiles fired towards Riyadh and the south of the country. It was not immediately clear whether the damage to the Saudi oil giant Aramco building was caused by falling debris from an intercepted missile strike or a projectile impact.

The King Abdullah financial district is one of the most visible symbols of the economic and social reforms underway in the kingdom, with its imposing skyscrapers, luxury shops and green spaces. The area is also home to residential housing and a busy metro station during rush hours. The shooting comes hours after the Saudi Ministry of Education announced on Saturday evening the resumption of face-to-face classes in Riyadh, after several weeks of distance learning following a previous wave of strikes.