RIYADH — A massive fire near Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh raised concerns through oil market, as fears of possible Houthi attack intensify. Thick smoke and flames were reported at the site, though the cause of the fire remains officially unconfirmed.
Satellite images show multiple oil-storage tanks engulfed by intense heat and flames, with at least three tanks reportedly showing signs of fire.
Aramco Attack
🇸🇦 That is a massive fire at a Saudi Aramco refinery in Riyadh.
The facility was reportedly targeted by Houthi drones or missiles this morning, and footage circulating online shows enormous flames.
It's not yet confirmed whether a strike caused the fire.
As if the Middle East…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 3, 2026
The horrific scenes fueled speculation that the facility may have been targeted by Houthi drones or missiles. Footage circulating online appears to show a major blaze at the site. The fire has NOT been officially confirmed so far.
A witness in Riyadh told Reuters that fire and a huge cloud of smoke could be seen rising near an Aramco facility on Saturday. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the incident or its cause, while Aramco had yet to respond to requests for comment. The incident comes at a highly tense moment in the region.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has stepped up attacks against Saudi territory and energy-related infrastructure, raising concerns over the vulnerability of the kingdom’s strategically important oil facilities.
There was no immediate Houthi claim of responsibility for Saturday’s fire. The latest development follows Houthi claims last week that the group had targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu with missiles and drones. Saudi Arabia said its air defences had intercepted six ballistic missiles heading toward the Taif and Yanbu areas. Officials did not report damage to Aramco facilities in that incident.
