Saudi Aramco tells staff to evacuate Dhahran as clashes with Yemen's Houthis continue
Saudi Aramco told staff to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely, six people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, following Houthi attacks targeting the company and Saudi airports. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group attacked Aramco facilities in Yanbu and the Saudi defense ministry in Riyadh, while Saudi authorities did not confirm the attack; the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted drones over Riyadh and Medina. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index fell 2.5% on Thursday after the Aramco news, and Brent crude rose to its highest since May.
Why it matters: The evacuation and reported attacks on Aramco facilities make energy security the central geoeconomic risk in the Saudi-Houthi escalation, as reflected in higher crude prices.