Saudi oil giant Aramco has instructed employees to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely amid escalating Houthi attacks, media reported on Thursday.
The evacuation follows a series of strikes targeting Saudi oil facilities and airports. The reason for the latest order remains unclear, and Aramco has not issued an immediate comment.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry in Riyadh. Saudi authorities did not confirm the reported attacks.
A Houthi strike on King Fahd International Airport near Dammam on Wednesday killed two people and injured eight others. Airport operations have since returned to normal, Saudi aviation authorities said.
The escalating conflict sent Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index down 2.5%, while Brent crude climbed 2.81% to $111.88 per barrel on Thursday, amid concerns over potential disruptions to regional oil supplies.
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