Witnesses report damage to Riyadh Aramco tower; cause remains unclear

Shattered glass and facade damage at Riyadh’s Aramco tower were visible after witnesses said the financial district was targeted Sunday. Two witnesses confirmed damage to the building, and one said the tower was definitely targeted. The reports came as missile attacks and interceptions were reported across Saudi Arabia, though the accounts do not confirm who caused the tower damage. ²

The tower damage followed a series of alerts and interceptions. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh, then two cruise missiles in Riyadh and the southern region. Earlier, it reported intercepting a ballistic missile headed for the Eastern Province. Warnings went out for Dammam, Dhahran, Abqaiq and Hofuf before authorities said the danger had passed.^4,6 Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had carried out six operations using missiles and drones, including attacks on oil sites and Riyadh airport. Those claims have not been independently confirmed. ¹¹

The damaged tower stands in King Abdullah Financial District, a prominent business and residential area with shops, green spaces and a busy metro station. Damage there would bring the conflict into a highly visible part of the capital, but the cause remains unconfirmed. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have traded attacks since fighting resumed after a 2022 truce broke down. The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014; Saudi Arabia led a coalition intervention the following year. ^2,5

The wider fighting has taken a heavy toll in Yemen: the United Nations says more than 1,600 people have died and over 300,000 have been displaced since fighting resumed.² In Riyadh, authorities had issued early warnings, and the coalition said its air defenses intercepted the missiles. Saudi Civil Defense said the threat had passed in the Eastern Province. Witness accounts of the tower damage are the latest clear sign of the risk to the capital’s residents, commuters and businesses. ⁶