TEHRAN – An attack on Sunday in the capital of Saudi Arabia damaged an office tower belonging to the state oil company, Saudi Aramco, amid an escalating war between the kingdom and the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF).

The attack came in response to the Saudi air raids on a marketplace and residential buildings on Saturday that left over 120 civilians dead or injured.

The Saudi energy ministry said that no one was injured but that the building in the capital, Riyadh, sustained “minor damage” from “falling shrapnel.” The ministry did not say who had launched the attack, but the Saudi authorities said earlier in the day that they had intercepted three missiles fired at Riyadh by YAF, also called Ansarallah.

At least one floor appeared to be severely damaged, leaving a hole in the building, the New York Times reported.

For weeks, Saudi Arabia and YAF have been exchanging attacks, including strikes on energy facilities and airports, that have killed and injured civilians. The two sides returned to full-blown war last month, after a four-year truce unraveled after Saudi Arabia bombarded Sanaa airport on July 13 forcing an airplane carrying Yemen’s officials to land in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.  

The Aramco tower is in Riyadh’s financial district — where dozens of skyscrapers house banks, international companies and the offices of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

It was not clear whether anyone was inside the Aramco building when it was struck. Many employees in the financial district have been working from home in recent weeks, since the war reignited.

YAF issued a statement on Sunday afternoon stating, “In response to the Saudi aggression against our country and people, and as part of our response to its brutal massacres, the latest of which were the massacres at the Al-Hadara Market in Al-Wazi'iyah and at residential buildings in Bani Hushaysh, which left more than 120 people martyred and wounded, most of them women and children, the Yemeni Armed Forces… carried out four high-quality military operations using a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).”

It said, “The first operation targeted King Khalid International Airport, Aramco's oil storage facilities, and the Financial District in the Saudi enemy's capital, Riyadh. The strikes were direct and precise…, causing extensive damage to the targeted sites.”

YAF also carried out operations targeting Aramco's facilities in Abqaiq, Saudi forces in the Madghal district of Marib Governorate and the Al-Mudharaba area of Lahij Governorate.

The statement added, “The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue their military operations deep inside Saudi territory to avenge the blood of our people and deter the Saudi aggressor.”

YAF reiterated that it will not waver in responding to every move Saudi move accordingly.

“We will continue to enforce the equation of blockade for blockade, escalation for escalation, and target the military concentrations of the Saudi enemy and its officers until the aggression against our country ceases and the siege on our beloved nation is lifted.”