Conflict with Saudi Arabia: Houthis attack skyscrapers in central Riyadh

Sanaa/Riyadh. The Iran-backed Houthi militia attacked a prominent skyscraper in the center of the Saudi capital Riyadh. The administration building of the state oil company Aramco was hit, the Saudi Energy Ministry said. Debris fell on the building and caused “limited damage,” it said. There were no deaths or injuries.

A video circulated on the Internet that appears to show severe damage to the Aramco Tower in the center of Riyadh. Accordingly, the glass facade over several floors was destroyed in an attack. The 34-story building is owned by Aramco and is located in Riyadh's central business district. The city's most famous skyscrapers are located there.

The oil company's properties have repeatedly been the target of Houthi attacks, who have significantly increased their attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent months. Among other things, they are targeting airports and oil infrastructure. The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis said drones and cruise missiles had been intercepted in Riyadh and the south of the country. The Saudi Civil Defense again issued warnings for the capital, among other things.

According to the Houthi, Saudi Arabia also continued its air strikes in Yemen. The death toll there rose to 33 after an air strike in Sanaa, a spokesman for the Houthi-controlled health ministry said. Thirteen children were among the fatalities. 39 other people were injured.

Saudi Arabia and allies began bombing Houthi positions in Yemen in 2015 to push back the militia. Riyadh is supported by the country's internationally recognized government and local militias. After a ceasefire from 2022, the fighting has escalated again in the wake of the Iran war.

According to the independent Yemen Data Project, which counts air strikes by the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen as well as civilian war victims, there were more serious Saudi attacks in Yemen last month than in 2017. At least 140 civilians were killed and more than 280 others were injured. The project counted more than 430 Saudi bombings in the civil war country in October alone. Saudi Arabia repeatedly attracted international criticism because of the many civilian casualties in the war.