Loud explosions were heard near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia, on the evening of October 13, six sources told Reuters. One source reported a fire at the headquarters, while four others confirmed that an evacuation order had been issued. A person with direct knowledge of the incident said the building had been struck, although it was unclear whether it had been hit by a missile or damaged by falling debris from an interception.
The Saudi-led coalition said air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a missile over Dhahran, with fragments falling into a nearby residential area. The coalition did not identify the missile's origin or provide details about the interception. It also did not confirm whether Aramco's headquarters had sustained damage. Later that evening, Saudi civil defense authorities issued a potential danger alert in Riyadh, where another loud explosion was heard.
Missile strikes, drone attacks and air raids between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi movement have increased over the past week. The Houthis previously claimed attacks on two Saudi Aramco energy facilities in the Eastern Province, along with repeated strikes targeting Saudi airports. An attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on October 10 killed 13 people and injured more than 300. Earlier on October 13, the Saudi-led coalition also struck a fuel storage facility near Yemen's capital, Sanaa. Houthi representatives subsequently warned of further attacks against Saudi targets.
Dhahran is home to Saudi Aramco's headquarters and sits at the center of the kingdom's oil industry. The company's operations across the Eastern Province include major crude production, natural gas processing and other energy facilities.
Aramco had not released a damage assessment or reported any disruption to oil, gas or petrochemical production following the explosions. There was also no official information on possible casualties at the headquarters. Reuters reported that Aramco employees had been instructed to work from home on October 14.
