Saudi Aramco orders full evacuation of Dhahran headquarters amid Houthi attacks

Dubai: Saudi oil giant Aramco has ordered the immediate evacuation of its headquarters in Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia, instructing all remaining essential employees to work from home until further notice amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Houthi group, AFP reported on Thursday.

Three sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said that most employees had already been working remotely since an attack targeted the company's headquarters last week.

Only essential personnel had continued working on site before the latest directive ordered the complete evacuation of the premises as a precautionary measure, the sources said.

The decision marks a further tightening of security measures at one of Saudi Arabia's most important energy institutions as concerns grow over threats to critical infrastructure in the region.

The precautionary move is intended to protect employees while ensuring business continuity through remote working arrangements.

Aramco, one of the world's largest oil producers, is headquartered in Dhahran, a major centre of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in the Eastern Province.

The reported evacuation comes amid heightened security alerts at vital facilities across the Kingdom following an escalation in attacks attributed to the Houthis.

There was no immediate indication of how long the remote working arrangements would remain in place or whether the evacuation would affect Aramco's operations.