Houthis strike Aramco tower after Yemen attack kills 44, Mecca pact allies look other way | Gravitas

Fresh fighting rocked West Asia over the weekend. At least 44 people were killed in alleged Saudi air strikes in Yemen. Subsequently, Houthis conducted a missile and drone strike in the heart of Riyadh. Amid this fresh escalation, Mecca Pact allies continue to look the other way.

Take a look at these visuals from the financial district of Saudi Arabia’s capital. Smoke could be seen on many floors of an administrative building belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco. According to the country’s energy ministry, falling shrapnel from a Houthi attack caused limited damage to the building, with no injuries or fatalities being reported.

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But the rare strike on Riyadh’s financial hub assumes significance, as it hosts Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange, Public Investment Fund, and top finance companies. Houthis also claimed to have caused significant damage to the King Khalid International Airport as well as Aramco oil storage tanks in Riyadh by using several ballistic missiles and drones. It also announced a strike on an Aramco facility in the Saudi city of Abqaiq.

This is not all. The Iran-backed group also claimed to have attacked Saudi troops in Yemen’s Al-Jawf, Marib and Lahj provinces, reportedly resulting in a large number of dead and wounded. However, Riyadh is yet to confirm these claims.

As Houthis intensify their strikes, Riyadh witnessed another scare earlier in the day. Saudi authorities warned residents of the capital of an aerial threat before lifting the alert minutes later. On the other hand, the Saudi-led coalition released footage of strikes which reportedly destroyed two ballistic missile launch pads in Yemen’s Saada province.

Now, the spate of Houthi attacks was preceded by deadly air strikes in the Al-Shariya village located close to Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for this attack, which destroyed several residential buildings. According to the Iran-backed group, at least 44 people, including 21 children and 10 women, were among those killed, while 40 others have been injured.

An eyewitness captured the moment of the strike that shook the ground and whipped up dust, blocking everything in view. Many victims continue to be trapped under rubble. Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of targeting rescue workers and bombing the roads leading to the village.

While Saudi Arabia is yet to respond to these allegations, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While calling for an end to the Saudi-Houthi war through dialogue, it demanded an immediate cessation of military attacks and respect for the right of Yemenis to self-determination.

However, Saudi’s Mecca Pact allies, including Pakistan and Turkiye, have refrained from taking offensive action against Houthis in Yemen. While Turkiye’s parliament ratified the Mecca Agreement, its government made it clear that deployment of troops would only be possible with parliamentary approval.

Similarly, reports suggest that even Syria has ruled out sending troops to Yemen. This comes even as the country signed a defence cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia during Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh last week. Amid this, the Houthis vowed that Saudi Arabia would pay a heavy price for its alleged attacks on civilians in Yemen.