Saudi Capital’s Financial District Hit as Houthi Missile Barrage Damages Aramco Tower

Multiple witnesses confirmed to AFP on Sunday that Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) came under attack, sustaining significant damage to the Aramco tower, hours after the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

“The Aramco tower in KAFD has been targeted, that is certain,” one witness stated. Two others corroborated the account, describing shattered glass and visible structural damage to the building’s facade across multiple floors.

The strike represents a sharp escalation in the protracted conflict. A 2022 UN-brokered truce that had largely paused hostilities collapsed in July, triggering a renewed cycle of retaliatory strikes. Since then, the Iran-aligned Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports, energy installations, and military positions.

The King Abdullah Financial District stands as a centerpiece of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, featuring high-rise towers, luxury retail, and residential units alongside a major metro hub. Targeting this commercial and civilian nerve center marks a significant expansion of the conflict’s scope.

The assault followed a night of intense aerial activity. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki announced early Sunday that air defenses had destroyed two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh by the “Houthi terrorist militia,” as loud explosions rattled the capital. The attack came just hours after the Education Ministry announced a return to in-person schooling in Riyadh, which had been suspended for weeks due to previous Houthi strikes.

Regional dynamics are shifting rapidly. Yemeni officials told AFP that thousands of Syrian troops are deploying to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with initial contingents already on the ground. Meanwhile, the Houthis have seized extensive stretches of the Red Sea coastline from the internationally recognized, Riyadh-backed government, declaring a maritime blockade and targeting shipping and oil facilities.

The United Nations estimates that over 1,600 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since the truce unraveled. The collapse was precipitated by the Houthis permitting an Iranian aircraft to land in Sanaa in defiance of Saudi-controlled airspace, igniting the current wave of violence.

Source link