Offices belonging to senior executives with Saudi oil giant Aramco were hit in an overnight Houthi strike on the company’s headquarters, two regional officials said Wednesday, in the latest demonstration of the Iran-backed rebels’ ability to attack high-profile targets even after issuing warnings that they would do so.
asserted
they → belong → warnings
The officials said the top three floors in a building used by top executives were damaged.
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floors → say → executives
One official said the office of the Aramco chief executive was among those hit.
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office → say → those
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
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they → speak → media
The sight of smoke rising from some of Saudi Arabia’s most sensitive facilities in recent days has rattled the region and global markets while increasing questions for U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he is evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis in the latest front in the Iran war.
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U.S. → rise → war
The Houthis earlier said they targeted the city of Dhahran, which hosts the headquarters, with a ballistic missile as part of their latest attacks.
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which → say → attacks
The Saudi energy ministry reported a “limited fire” at the Aramco administrative building Tuesday night.
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ministry → report → building
Aramco didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Aramco → respond → comment
On Wednesday, Saudi civil defense said debris from an interception in the capital, Riyadh, injured a foreigner from an Arab country.
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debris → say → country
The state-run SPA news agency published images showing a vehicle with a large cylindrical object lodged in the front and a building damaged.
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agency → run → front
The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis said it intercepted cruise and ballistic missiles and drones targeting Riyadh, a ballistic missile targeting Dhahran, and a cruise missile targeting Al-Kharj, home to Prince Sultan Air Base and the state-owned Military Industries Corporation.
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it → lead → Base
Rebels call the strikes retaliation
The Houthis called the attacks retaliation for “treacherous Saudi aggression” against the rebel-held Yemeni capital of Sanaa and other areas, as the kingdom backs the forces of neighboring Yemen’s internationally recognized government in a major military offensive launched a week and a half ago.
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kingdom → call → offensive
The rebel-run Health Ministry reported two dead in attacks in Yemen on Tuesday and blamed the Saudis.
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Ministry → run → Saudis
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure.
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Houthis → target → airports
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been targeted multiple times in the past week with strikes that have killed at least 18 people and hurt over 300 more, greatly affecting aviation across the kingdom.
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that → target → kingdom
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The Houthis, hardened by years of civil war, have emerged as Iran’s most effective armed proxy of the moment, but experts say they also have their own agenda.
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they → get → agenda
Either way, they are applying increasing pressure on a key U.S. ally.
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they → apply → ally
Houthi official describes diplomatic outreach
A senior Houthi official told The Associated Press that regional and international powers have reached out in an effort to stop the attacks on Saudi Arabia as part of a ceasefire deal.
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powers → describe → deal
Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, said Oman has tried to get both sides back to the negotiating table, and Russia and China also tried via Iran.
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Russia → say → Iran
“We’re welcoming any mediation that leads to an end of the war and the blockade between Sanaa and Riyadh,” he said.
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he → welcome → Sanaa
“We’re ready for a comprehensive end of the war and the blockade from both sides, not just a temporary ceasefire.”
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We → ’re → sides
The rebels continued to warn of attacks on both airports and oil facilities.
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rebels → continue → airports
Over 3,000 flights scheduled to depart from airports across Saudi Arabia have been canceled or listed as not operating in the past week, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
uncertain
flights → schedule → Cirium
Saudi can’t intercept everything: experts
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Saudi → intercept → everything
The escalation has highlighted Saudi Arabia’s struggle to intercept Houthi missiles and drones.
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escalation → highlight → missiles
The kingdom has pressed allies like the United States for more military support.
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kingdom → press → support
Regional officials say Saudi Arabia, the world’s top purchaser of U.S. weapons, is running low on interceptors.
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Arabia → say → interceptors
The Saudis are trying to intercept daily attacks across a territory about three times the size of Texas.
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Saudis → try → Texas
Experts have said trying to intercept all of the missiles and drones is impossible.
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trying → say → missiles
The Houthis have a large arsenal capable of striking targets well over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away.
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Houthis → have → targets
Some warheads change direction during flight.
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warheads → change → flight
The fighting between the Saudis and Houthis erupted this year when the rebels blamed the Saudis for a strike on the airport in Sanaa.
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rebels → erupt → Sanaa
That revived anger over a Saudi blockade of the Houthis, who in turn declared a blockade against the kingdom.
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who → revive → kingdom
The Saudi-led coalition also is striking oil targets.
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coalition → lead → targets
Earlier Wednesday, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said two people were killed in an airstrike Tuesday in the Ras Isa port area in Hodeida province.
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people → run → province
The strike hit a facility of the state oil company, the ministry said.
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ministry → hit → company
The Saudi-led coalition also attacked an oil facility in Sanaa.
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coalition → lead → Sanaa
The targeting of fuel storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas marks a new phase, said Ahmed Nagi, senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group, a think tank.
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Nagi → control → Group
He added that in a war of attrition, the rebels could risk losing much of their military capacity.
uncertain
rebels → add → capacity
“The Houthis are betting on pressure, while the Saudis are betting on time.
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Saudis → bet → time
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
