Houthi Missile Strikes Target Saudi Aramco Headquarters

Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, confirmed that defense systems destroyed the missiles before they could cause widespread damage. Despite these efforts, the strikes follow a weekend of intensified violence near Riyadh’s international airport, pushing the Saudi-led coalition to deepen its military push along the Yemeni coastline. The objective remains control over the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital artery for oil exports bound for Asia.

The timing of these strikes directly challenges the narrative of energy security promoted by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. Just hours before the Dhahran facility was hit, the Minister addressed the WPC Energy Congress, emphasizing the Kingdom's capacity to maintain, repair, and reroute supply chains under duress. Markets reacted immediately to the instability, with global oil prices climbing above $106 per barrel on Wednesday. The situation is further complicated by reports of Iranian forces preparing new tactical strikes on tankers within the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to tighten the squeeze on international energy transit.