Hours after the Saudi-led military coalition conducted airstrikes on the Al-Sabah central oil facility in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, Houthi rebel forces launched a major retaliatory strike on Saudi Arabian soil. On Tuesday (October 13, 2026), the Yemeni armed group targeted a primary administrative building of state oil giant Saudi Aramco in the eastern energy hub of Dhahran using armed drones and missiles.
The attack ignited a fire at the facility, which was swiftly brought under control by emergency fire crews. The escalating cross-border strikes have triggered widespread volatility across global energy markets and led major international commercial airlines to suspend flights across the Middle East.
Aramco Office Strike in Dhahran: A Houthi drone attack hit Aramco’s administrative headquarters in Dhahran, causing a fire. The Saudi Ministry of Energy and state news agency SPA confirmed that firefighting units contained the blaze without any casualties reported.
Riyadh Air Defense Interceptions & Civilian Injuries: Following Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree’s warning of a “painful response,” Saudi Air Defense forces intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and three drones over Riyadh. Intercepted falling debris injured four civilians and damaged 15 residential properties. This follows earlier weekend attacks on Riyadh Airport (October 10–11) that left 14 dead and over 100 injured.
Flight Suspensions & U.S. Diplomacy: Due to heightened airspace security risks, major international airlines—including Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Air India, and Delta—have suspended flights to Saudi Arabia and regional hubs. U.S. President Donald Trump strongly condemned the Houthis’ actions and signaled plans to request diplomatic intervention from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to help safeguard Saudi Arabia’s security and regional stability.
