Several loud explosions were heard across Riyadh early Sunday after Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings over potential aerial threats.

Major General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said air defence systems initially intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles and one cruise missile. Two additional cruise missiles allegedly targeting Riyadh and southern regions were also intercepted.

The Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed that debris from the intercepted missiles fell on an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), causing minor damage.

The ministry said no one was killed or injured in the incident.

According to AFP, several eyewitnesses reported that the Aramco building had been affected by the attack. Speaking to Reuters, one witness said windows on several floors of the Aramco Tower in the financial district had been shattered. Two other witnesses also confirmed damage to the building.

Before the explosions, Saudi Civil Defence had issued an emergency warning for Riyadh over a possible aerial threat. Authorities later announced that the danger had passed in the affected areas.

Saudi Arabia Claims More Missile Interceptions in Eastern Province

The Saudi-led coalition also announced on Sunday morning that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards the Eastern Province.

Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said the missile was destroyed in the air before reaching its target.

Saudi Civil Defence subsequently announced that emergency warnings issued for Dammam, Dhahran, Abqaiq and Hofuf had been lifted.

Authorities said alerts had been issued through the national emergency warning platform to inform residents of the potential threat.

A day earlier, on Saturday, al-Maliki had also announced that a cruise missile launched towards Riyadh by Yemen's Houthis had been intercepted.

The Eastern Province is home to most of Saudi Arabia's oil and gas reserves and hosts the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, one of the world's largest oil companies.

The region has also experienced attacks in the past, including an incident in October that reportedly caused significant damage.

Aramco Offices and Key Facilities Across Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco's main headquarters is located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, where the company's senior management and key administrative and operational departments are based.

The company also has an administrative building in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, which was reportedly damaged in Sunday's missile attack.

However, Aramco's operations extend far beyond Riyadh and Dhahran, with offices, industrial centres and oil and gas facilities spread across several parts of Saudi Arabia.

Abqaiq and Ras Tanura are among its major facilities in the Eastern Province, with important oil processing, refining and export operations.

The company also has industrial and operational activities in Jubail, Dammam, Khobar, Safaniyah and Tanajib.

Elsewhere in the country, Aramco operates facilities and projects in Jeddah, Yanbu, Rabigh and Jazan, while Haradh, Shaybah and Jafurah are among its major oil and gas developments.

Not all these locations are administrative offices, as most serve as production, processing, storage and transportation facilities.

Previous Houthi Attacks on Saudi Aramco Facilities

The latest incident comes amid a history of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure.

- September 2019: Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for drone attacks on Aramco's facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais. The attacks temporarily reduced Saudi Arabia's daily oil production by approximately 5.7 million barrels. Saudi Arabia and the United States blamed Iran for the attacks.

- March 2021: The Houthis claimed attacks targeting the Ras Tanura oil refinery and an Aramco residential compound in Dhahran. Saudi authorities said the attacks had been thwarted.

- March 2021: A drone attack targeting an Aramco oil refinery in Riyadh sparked a fire, which was brought under control without casualties.

- March 2022: Houthi missile and drone attacks affected production at the YASREF refinery in Yanbu and targeted a petroleum products distribution centre in Jazan.

Houthis Claim 33 Killed in Saudi Airstrikes Near Sanaa

Meanwhile, claims of civilian casualties have emerged following Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen.

According to the Houthi-run Ministry of Health and Environment, the death toll from Saudi airstrikes in the eastern part of Sanaa has risen to 33, with 39 others injured.

Houthi media outlets claimed that civilian homes were targeted and that women and children were among those killed.

Anis al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry, said on Saturday that the death toll had increased to 33 following Saudi airstrikes on the village of al-Sharia in Bani Hashish district, east of the capital.

He described the incident as a "horrific massacre of Saudi aggression".

Earlier, the Houthi-run Saba news agency had reported that Saudi warplanes struck civilian homes in the village, killing 27 people and injuring 36 others.

Most of the reported victims were women and children, according to the agency.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television channel also reported that 27 people had been killed in the airstrikes, with dozens more injured.

Both Saba and Al-Masirah cited figures provided by the Houthi administration's Ministry of Health.

Saba, citing a local source, reported that Saudi warplanes had struck six houses during several air raids in the area.

The agency further claimed that rescue workers and roads leading to the affected site were also targeted.

Footage broadcast by Al-Masirah showed bodies of dead and injured people, including children, being transported to hospitals.

However, the casualty figures and accounts of the attacks have been provided by Houthi authorities and media outlets operating under their administration.

Syria Denies Sending Troops to Fight Houthis in Yemen

Syria has denied reports that it is sending troops to Yemen to fight the Houthis, while confirming military cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia involving training, consultations and the exchange of military expertise.

According to AFP, Yemeni government officials claimed on Saturday that Syria had begun deploying military personnel to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with plans to send additional forces to support the Yemeni government and its allies against the Houthis.

However, a Syrian diplomatic source in Damascus rejected reports of a military deployment to Yemen.

"Reports about sending Syrian military units to Yemen at present are unfounded," the source said.

The source nevertheless confirmed military cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia covering military training, the exchange of expertise and consultations on defence matters.

The agreements and memorandums of understanding were reached during a visit to Saudi Arabia by Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday.

During the visit, al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The agreements between the two countries also included military cooperation.

AFP, citing three military sources and an official from Yemen's Defence Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity, reported that hundreds of Syrian soldiers were deployed on both sides of the Saudi-Yemeni border.

An official from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council told AFP that an agreement had been reached between Syria and Saudi Arabia to send approximately 3,000 fighters to take part in operations against the Houthis.

The official said the agreement was reached during al-Sharaa's recent visit to Saudi Arabia.

However, speaking to Syria's state news agency SANA, the Syrian diplomatic source said existing military agreements with Saudi Arabia were limited to cooperation in training, the exchange of expertise and military consultations, in line with the national interests of both countries.

The source added that the agreements aimed to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries.