Saudi Arabia reported that its air defenses successfully intercepted several incoming missiles aimed at the kingdom's capital and other regions on Sunday. The operation involved the interception of two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh early in the morning. Falling debris from the intercepted projectiles caused minor damage to a building owned by the state-owned oil giant Aramco, located within the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh.
Witnesses in the city reported hearing a loud explosion during the morning hours. Those present at the scene described visible damage affecting multiple floors of the Aramco structure, noting that exterior glass was damaged and some levels appeared to have sustained significant impact. These witnesses spoke on the condition of anonymity due to security concerns. The Saudi energy ministry confirmed the incident, stating that the falling shrapnel caused only minor damage and emphasized that no casualties occurred during the attack.
The Saudi-led coalition attributed the launch of the ballistic missiles to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. While the Houthis have historically claimed responsibility for similar strikes, there was no immediate claim of responsibility for this specific event. Additionally, the coalition reported that an overnight interception occurred involving a ballistic missile aimed at the kingdom's southern region, an area near the border with Yemen that frequently experiences such attacks.
Neither the Saudi Center for International Communication nor Aramco provided immediate comments regarding the incident when contacted.
In a separate development, the United Arab Emirates reported that it rescued 22 crew members from a cargo ship that caught fire in the Sea of Oman. The crew, all of Arab nationalities, were reported to be in stable condition after receiving medical assistance. While the UAE National Guard did not disclose the identity of the vessel or the cause of the fire, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a tanker had caught fire on Saturday approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman, leading to a crew evacuation.
It remains unclear if these incidents involve the same vessel.
These maritime incidents occur against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and risks to commercial shipping. On Saturday, U.S. forces disabled a St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, citing an attempt to breach the U.S. naval blockade surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, the Iranian military reported late Saturday that two tankers had struck mines and caught fire in the Hormuz area, though no further details were provided.
In Israel, President Isaac Herzog has designated Gadi Eisenkot, the country's former military chief and a primary rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to form the next government. This decision follows the Oct. 27 election, which resulted in no clear majority for the incumbent.
Eisenkot now faces the complex task of negotiating a coalition government within a six-week window, a challenge intensified by the nation's deep divisions following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants and the subsequent years of conflict in Gaza and beyond.
