Saudi Energy Giant Struck as War Spikes Between Houthis and Saudi Arabia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The attack came after the Yemeni militia warned it would attack the headquarters of Aramco. The Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Houthi capabilities.

A man looking over the skyline of Sanaa, Yemen, on Tuesday. Credit: Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A building owned by the energy giant Aramco was set ablaze late Tuesday in a strike on the Saudi city housing its headquarters, the kingdom’s energy ministry said, as war spiked between the Houthi militia in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis had threatened earlier in the day to attack the Aramco headquarters in the eastern city of Dhahran, but did not immediately take responsibility for the strike. It came after the Iranian-backed militia reported that two major oil facilities in Yemen had been attacked by Saudi forces on Tuesday.

The Saudi energy ministry said in a statement that the strike in Dhahran had hit an Aramco administrative building and caused “a limited fire” and no injuries.

By late Tuesday, residents of both countries were on edge as explosions were repeatedly heard in their capital cities. A Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Yemeni facilities that support the Houthi war effort, while the Houthis vowed to retaliate against comparable sites in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi authorities issued warnings of an aerial threat in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. And Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said four cruise missiles fired toward Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia had been intercepted, along with two drones.

Mr. al-Maliki also reported that a ballistic missile launched toward the city of Damman [sic] in the eastern part of the kingdom by the Houthis had been intercepted, and that shrapnel fell in a residential area of neighboring Dhahran. » | Ismaeel Naar and Pranav Baskar | Reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

‘Major Miscalculation’ - Have the Saudis Realised They Can’t Beat the Houthis?

Oct 13, 2026 | A dramatic escalation in Yemen has plunged the Middle East into a fresh geopolitical crisis, after a series of deadly Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s airports and oil and gas infrastructure.

The long running civil war is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. But why are the Houthis at war with Saudi Arabia? And how does it fit into the wider Middle East conflicts?

In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Middle East Eye Editor-in-Chief David Hearst and investigative journalist Iona Craig, who examine the catastrophic humanitarian emergency facing over 22 million Yemenis, the formation of rival regional alliances, and whether Saudi Arabia can ever achieve a decisive victory in Yemen.



ALSO READ:

Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis Trade Threats Targeting Oil Facilities: The Iran-backed militia threatened to attack the Saudi energy giant Aramco, which it has done before, after the Saudi authorities issued an evacuation notice to an oil facility in the Yemeni capital. »

Second Houthi Strike on Riyadh Airport in Two Days | BBC News

Oct 12, 2026 | One person has been killed and 11 injured in a second strike on the international airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, officials have said.

A Saudi military spokesman said a projectile had hit King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, causing a fire in a passenger hall. Saudi

Arabia's civil aviation authority said in a statement that one person, a Pakistani resident, had been killed in the attack. It comes a day after a strike on the same airport killed 13 people and injured 308 others.

The Houthis in Yemen said they were behind them and warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi Arabian airports and airspace.

What Now for Saudi Arabia after Deadliest Attack since Start of Iran War | DW News

Oct 11, 2026 | A deadly strike on King Khalid International Airport has left at least 12 dead, over 300 wounded, and airlines scrambling to avoid Saudi airspace. With Houthi rebels now targeting commercial aviation hubs, Riyadh’s reputation for security and multi-billion-dollar economic ambitions face an unprecedented test. How will this impact Saudi Arabia’s image as a stable destination for business and international events, and how will the kingdom respond? DW's Alex Forrest Whiting speaks to journalist and Middle East analyst Gordon Robison

Houthis Strike Riyadh Airport Again After String of Deadly Attacks

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Flights were diverted from the airport in the capital of Saudi Arabia, which has faced repeated deadly attacks from the Iran-backed militia in Yemen.

Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last month. Credit: Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The Iran-backed Houthi militia attacked one of Saudi Arabia’s busiest airports again on Saturday, injuring a number of people and disrupting flights, as the Yemeni group dramatically escalates its campaign against the kingdom.

The Saudi civil aviation agency said it was still tallying the injuries and assessing damage at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital. Repeated, deadly attacks in recent days on the city’s airport and other civilian infrastructure have struck at the heart of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitions to turn the city into a global travel and business hub.

Saudi officials did not immediately respond to questions about details of the attack, but a reporter for The New York Times saw backed-up traffic and several ambulances heading toward the airport, where the police had blocked off roads.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, along with other Western embassies, urged its citizens to avoid the area and warned of travel disruption. With just a day to go before a major global energy conference, many flights heading to the airport were diverted on Saturday afternoon, according to data from Flightradar24, a flight-tracking service. » | Vivian Nereim and Euan Ward | Vivian Nereim reported from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Euan Ward from Beirut, Lebanon. | Saturday, October 10, 2026

Can Yemen Turn the Tide against the Houthis? | DW News

Oct 4, 2026 | Yemen's government has announced a major military campaign to retake Houthi-held territory just as the rebels claim to have launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. With the Houthis making gains near a key Red Sea shipping route and regional powers increasingly involved, concerns are growing that the conflict could spill far beyond Yemen's borders.

Houthis Claim Biggest Advancement This Year in Yemen | BBC News>

Sep 18, 2026 | Iran-backed Houthi rebels have made significant gains in Yemen on the Red Sea coast, impacting Saudi Arabian exports and contributing to the continued price of a barrel of oil at above $100.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday evening, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said attacks on Mecca and Medina province, where Islam's second holiest shrine is located, constituted an "unacceptable and intolerable transgression".

Meanwhile, the US has allowed Iranian officials to attend the UN General Assembly next week in New York. The delegation will take part in the United Nations General Assembly's grand debate for 2026, but will face strict travel restrictions whilst they are in the country.

Will the Houthis Tank the Global Economy? | BBC News

Sep 16, 2026 | Over the last week, the Houthis - an Iran-backed militant group in Yemen - have captured two strategic islands along the Red Sea coast, consolidating its control of a key international shipping route known as the Bab al-Mandab strait.

Saudi Arabia has relied on access to the strait for exporting its oil to customers in Asia. With the Strait of Hormuz already closed due to the Iran war, the Houthis’ control of this vital waterway threatens to deepen the global oil supply crisis.

Tristan Redman is joined by the BBC’s Security Correspondent Frank Gardner to unpack who the Houthis are, what they want, and how they have come to hold so much influence on the world’s economy.

Iran-backed Houthis Claim Major Advance in Yemen | BBC News

Sep 11, 2026 | Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have claimed a major advance on the western Red Sea coast, consolidating their grip on the key international shipping route.

The Houthis earlier said they posed no threat to international shipping but reiterated their threat to target vessels from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, leaders from 11 Brics nations - including host India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, the UAE and Iran, with Saudi Arabia attending as an invited member - will hold talks this weekend in Delhi on a wide range of issues.



ALSO READ THIS NYT ARTICLE:

Houthis Seize a Key Red Sea Island, Threatening Another Global Oil Route: The militia captured the island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a choke point for trade. Saudi Arabia also announced it had shut down a critical oil pipeline after a drone attack launched from Iraq. »

Houthis Gain 'Absolute Control’ of Crucial Shipping Route | Iona Craig

Sep 11, 2026 | “It’s in the interests of both the Houthis and Iran for this to be happening.”

The Houthis have made their most significant territorial gains in Yemen since 2021, and now have effective control over a crucial shipping route, says The Times’s former Yemen correspondent Iona Craig.

Saudi Arabia Under Attack? Houthis Claim Major Strikes | The Palki Sharma Show | India Global Review

August 20, 2026 | Yemen's Houthis are claiming to have killed 'hundreds of Saudi soldiers' and destroyed dozens of Saudi warships. Though the kingdom has not responded to this claim, its refineries and oil tankers have been hit by Houthi drones since last month. Is this the end of Yemen's truce? How will Saudi Arabia respond? Palki Sharma tells you.

Houthis Threaten to Expand Red Sea Attacks, and Claim Strike on Saudi Tanker

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Saudi Arabia has not commented on the claim by the Houthis, who are backed by Iran and have vowed to close “all access routes” to Saudi oil shipments.

The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia in Yemen, said Wednesday that they had struck a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea, and they threatened to intensify attacks there in an effort to close “all access routes” to Saudi oil shipments.

The Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said the group had fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi tanker called Wafa near the Saudi port city of Yanbu, though he did not say when the attack had occurred. The Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Houthis’ claim.

The Houthis declared a blockade of Saudi shipping last month. The territory they control in Yemen is near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a narrow waterway that leads into the southern end of the Red Sea.

The group claimed on Wednesday to have attacked eight ships linked to Saudi Arabia since the blockade. The strikes have forced some shipping companies to reroute to the northern part of the Red Sea. The group’s latest threat suggested that it would pursue Saudi tankers there also, in waters heading toward the Suez Canal, another crucial artery for global trade. The global oil price, after two days of declines, jumped 1 percent on Wednesday, to about $80 a barrel. » | Euan Ward and Ismaeel Naar | Euan Ward reported from Beirut, Lebanon, and Ismaeel Naar from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.| Wednesday, August 5, 2026

This Iran War Escalation Could Crash the Global Oil Market

Jul 25, 2026 | The US war against Iran is expanding into a larger regional conflict. After Trump sabotaged a diplomatic agreement, Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Now Yemen's Ansar Allah (known commonly as the Houthis) has declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, shutting down oil exports in the Red Sea. Ben Norton explains how this escalation could cause a severe crisis in the global oil market.

Iran Threatens to Attack UK Bases Used by US Forces - Risking Wider War | BBC News

July 23, 2026 | Iran has threatened to attack British bases being used by the US to launch operations against Iran. It accused the UK of being an "accomplice" of the US military and said that UK bases used by US forces were “legitimate targets”.

The UK has allowed the US to launch "defensive" operations from British bases hosting American personnel and aircraft, while refusing to cooperate in offensive operations against Iran. In response to Iran’s comments, the UK government said it "stands ready 24/7 to defend itself". It followed a 12th consecutive night of US strikes against targets in Iran, with the ceasefire that had been agreed between the two countries apparently abandoned.

In March 2026, shortly after the start of the US-Israel led war against Iran, the UK gave the US permission to use British bases, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, to target Iranian military infrastructure used to attack Gulf countries and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalating war, and continuing block on commercial shipping through the strait of Hormuz, has led to a new surge in global oil prices, which have again reached more than $100 per barrel.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen and Faisal Islam.

Bab El-Mandeb, l’autre détroit qui menace d’étrangler le pétrole mondial

LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Suite à une frappe sur un pétrolier saoudien, les rebelles houthis imposent un blocus naval à Riyad en mer Rouge. Après Ormuz, verrouillé par Téhéran, un second goulet d’étranglement se referme sur le brut saoudien.

En mer Rouge, tout s’est noué en une dizaine de jours. Les rebelles yéménites houthistes ont pris prétexte de bombardements menés par l’Arabie saoudite contre l’aéroport de Sanaa, sur fond de dispute autour d’un avion iranien, pour frapper en riposte l’aéroport d’Abha, première attaque visant le sol saoudien depuis 2022. Lundi, ils ont décrété un « blocus naval » contre le royaume. Jeudi, ils sont passés à l’acte en visant deux pétroliers saoudiens. Riyad a confirmé un incendie à la proue de l’un d’eux. Au moins neuf navires ont fait demi-tour près du détroit de Bab al-Mandab, où le trafic se contracte.

Restés jusqu’ici en marge de la guerre américano-iranienne, les houthistes sont une milice pro-iranienne issue des hauts plateaux du nord du Yémen. Après avoir repris la capitale Sanaa, en 2014, elle est en guerre depuis 2015 contre une coalition conduite par Riyad. À la suite d’une escalade avec les Saoudiens, l’Iran se sert de son allié pour rappeler qu’il possède un autre moyen de pression : le détroit de Bab al-Mandab. Le procédé est rodé : en 2023, après les attaques du 7 Octobre et les bombardements déclenchés en représailles par Israël contre la bande de Gaza, les houthistes avaient déjà harcelé le trafic marchand. » | Par Rémi Monti | jeudi 23 juillet 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Iran-Backed Houthis Expand Conflict With Red Sea Blockade

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The move against Saudi ships will add new pressure on energy markets. Tehran said it had received new proposals from mediators.

The Houthis, the Iran-backed armed faction in Yemen, said they would impose a blockade on Saudi ships, threatening to open a new front in the Middle East conflict and raising the pressure on volatile global energy markets.

The announcement was made as many in the region were tensely watching to see if the rounds of bombardment between U.S. and Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf would continue to escalate. The two countries traded new attacks on Monday, with Iran targeting countries that host U.S. military bases, despite efforts by mediators to calm tensions.

The latest hostilities initially focused on the Strait of Hormuz, but they have expanded into a cycle of attacks and counterattacks that have killed at least three American service members since Friday, hit Arab states across the Persian Gulf and damaged critical infrastructure in Iran and U.S.-allied Kuwait.

Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has reduced global fuel supplies, pushing prices upward, but Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, has been able to reroute some of its exports through the Red Sea. If the Houthis follow through on their statement that they will not allow Saudi vessels to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern portal to the Red Sea, it would worsen the global fuel crisis. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, Ismaeel Naar, Sanam Mahoozi and Yan Zhuang | Monday, July 20, 2026

The master of the 'Art of the Deal' has got himself into a real fix with this illegitimate and unnecessary Iran War, hasn't he? He's in a fix, and so is the global economy. — © Mark Alexander

Houthis Condemn Deadly US Bombardment of Yemen as a 'War Crime' and Promise Retaliation | DW News

Mar 16, 2025 | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US will continue its military campaign in Yemen until Houthi rebels no longer have the capacity to strike ships in the Red Sea. Rubio also insisted there was no way Houthis could attack vital shipping lanes without Iranian support. On Saturday, the US launched deadly airstrikes on Sanaa, killing more than 30 people and injuring 100.

Trump Ordered Airstrikes on Yemen in Warning to Houthis over Shipping Route

THE GUARDIAN: Houthis reported series of explosions and images show plumes of smoke rising over the Sana’a airport complex

Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.

The Houthis reported a series of explosions in their territory on Saturday evening. Images circulating online show plumes of black smoke over the area of the Sana’a airport complex, which includes a sprawling military facility. The extent of the damage was not yet clear.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.” » | Associated Press | Saturday, March 15, 2025

American Mercenaries Hired by UAE to Kill in Yemen | BBC News

Jan 23, 2024 | American mercenaries, hired by the UAE to kill in Yemen, have spoken candidly on camera for the first time in an investigation by BBC Arabic.

At a time when Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have highlighted the international dimensions of the Yemeni conflict, the investigation also reveals how US mercenaries trained Emirati officers to kill the UAE’s political enemies in Yemen.

These extra-judicial killings, conducted in the name of counter-terrorism, started in 2015 and continue to this day.

After US and UK Strikes against Houthis – Fears of Escalation in Middle East Become Real | DW News

Jan 12, 2024 | The United States and Britain have carried out military strikes against targets in Yemen in retaliation for Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis and the group's backer Iran have condemned the strikes. The US and the UK say the action is aimed at protecting international trade routes. For more on this, we talk to Frank Ledwidge. He's a senior lecturer in strategic studies at Portsmouth University and a former British military intelligence officer. And we talk to Elisabeth Kendall. She is a Middle East expert at Girton College, part of the University of Cambridge.