Houthi attacks hit Saudi Aramco’s headquarters and keep coming at Riyadh. Trump says they are trying to lift oil prices before the midterms
Houthi attacks struck Saudi Aramco in Dhahran on Tuesday. Bloomberg said the company’s headquarters was hit, The New York Times said the Saudi energy giant was struck, and Reuters said sources heard loud booms near the headquarters. Saudi state media, relayed by FinancialJuice, said the attack caused a limited fire and no casualties. Early Wednesday, AP reported that Riyadh residents heard new explosions, and the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile launched toward the capital. The Houthis said they targeted Aramco in Dhahran, King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh and promised more attacks on airports and oil sites, FinancialJuice relayed. The coalition struck oil depots near Sanaa, the BBC and the Guardian reported. CBS News and Reuters reported Trump’s remarks on the Houthis. Reuters reported higher oil prices and, citing officials, more Iranian attacks on shipping.
Saudi Aramco is the state oil company of the world’s largest oil exporter. A strike on its headquarters, even with limited damage, suggests the Houthis can reach the center of the Saudi oil system. With the International Energy Agency already warning of tight diesel supply into 2027, any threat to Gulf oil lifts fuel prices worldwide.
Higher oil means higher gasoline and diesel prices, and Reuters expects high gasoline prices to lift today’s inflation report. If you plan travel to Saudi Arabia, check your airline and the State Department’s advisories, because Riyadh’s main airport has been a target.
Saudi Arabia’s cabinet, chaired by the crown prince, said the Houthis will face “consequences” for their repeated attacks, FinancialJuice relayed.
The Houthis say they will keep targeting airports and oil sites, warned civilians near Aramco facilities to leave and said any attack on Sanaa would draw a “harsh” response in Riyadh, FinancialJuice relayed.
Treat damage claims from both sides as unconfirmed until independent reporting or satellite images appear. CBS read Trump’s words as a sign he will wait until after the midterms, which are 20 days away. If so, Saudi Arabia is fighting without U.S. strikes for at least three more weeks. The next signals are Saudi retaliation, airport status in Riyadh and whether Iran’s attacks on ships widen.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 10 · October 14, 2026