Houthis Claim Aramco Attacks in Riyadh and Khurais as Damage Remains Unverified

The Iran-aligned group says missile and drone strikes triggered major fires at Saudi energy facilities, but Saudi authorities have yet to confirm the claims

Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks targeting facilities operated by Saudi energy giant Aramco in Riyadh and the oil-rich region of Khurais, asserting that the strikes caused major fires at the sites.

The claim was made by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, who said the group carried out two separate operations using ballistic missiles and drones against what he described as strategic Saudi energy infrastructure.

In a statement published on X, Yahya Saree said both attacks had “successfully achieved their objectives,” adding that the strikes were precise and resulted in large fires at the targeted facilities.

The Houthi announcement came as fighting in Yemen continues to intensify and regional tensions remain elevated. The Iran-aligned group has repeatedly targeted Saudi territory and energy infrastructure during years of conflict with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.

Independent confirmation of the reported damage, however, remains limited. Reuters reported that a witness observed smoke and flames near an Aramco facility in Riyadh following the alleged attack. At the time of publication, Saudi authorities had not publicly confirmed the Houthi account, while Aramco had not immediately commented on the reported incident.

Separate reporting by Al Jazeera noted that a large plume of smoke and fire was seen near an Aramco site in Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition, however, later described the Houthi claims regarding the attack on the capital as “misleading,” casting doubt on the group’s account of the operation.

The latest claim follows a series of attacks and counterattacks linked to the conflict in Yemen, with energy infrastructure remaining a recurring target in the confrontation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. While the group maintains that the Riyadh and Khurais operations achieved their intended objectives, the scale of any damage and its impact on oil facilities have not yet been independently verified.

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