Issued on: 08/11/2026 - 10:47Modified: 08/11/2026 - 11:33

The Aramco tower in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District pictured on March 3, 2025. © Fayez Nureldine, AFP

Riyadh’s Aramco Tower was damaged by falling debris on Sunday after the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels intercepted two ballistic missiles headed for the capital’s financial district. The attack comes a day after Saudi ​air strikes killed at least 33 people near Sanaa. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments from the Middle East.

Iran’s guards says new US plan to tighten economic pressure on Tehran is 'wordplay'

⁠The US ​cannot achieve its goals of ​blockading Iran's economy and shutting its trade routes

because Tehran ​has ‌made preparations ⁠and communicates closely with neighbours, a ‌Revolutionary Guards spokesperson was quoted as ⁠saying.

Hossein Mohebbi was reacting to the ​US military's Task ‌Force Iron Gate, launched to help crack down on ‌Tehran's movement of advanced weapons and other ​sanctioned material over its land borders and through the Caspian ​Sea.

"The Iron Gate plan ​is merely a ​wordplay, the Americans cannot achieve their ​objectives of imposing severe economic pressure to cause economic collapse in Iran through this approach," ⁠Mohebbi told the semi-official Fars ⁠news ​agency.

Israel defence minister says 'mission not complete' on Iran

Israel is not finished with Iran, its defence minister said Sunday, as he renewed charges that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons, which the Islamic republic has long denied.

"With regard to Iran, the mission is still not complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons – alongside other grave efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger," Defence Minister Israel Katz said at a ceremony.

US launches task force to disrupt land transit routes into Iran

The US military has announced it will create a 20-member task force to find ways to disrupt land routes into Iran that it says are used for shipments of weapons and illicit materials.

The restrictions would expand on a US naval blockade of Iranian ports during the two countries' eight-month war, in which Tehran has also restricted passage through the critical Strait of Hormuz trade route, choking global energy supplies.

The task force's work "will further constrain Iran's ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military," US Central Command chief Brad Cooper said in a statement posted on X on Saturday.

The team of both civilian and military personnel based in Florida would coordinate with US government agencies on "preventing the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea," the statement added.

At least 33 people killed in Saudi airstrikes in Yemen on Saturday, health ministry says

At least 33 people were killed and dozens more were injured in Saudi airstrikes on a village near Sanaa on Saturday, Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry said.

The ministry said the strikes hit homes in the ‌town of Bani Hushaysh, a Houthi stronghold, and that most of those killed were ​women and children.

Abdul-Aziz al-Dailami, director of Sehatuna Hospital in Sanaa, said many victims remained trapped under the rubble, including first responders.

Saudi says Aramco building in Riyadh was target of 'attempted' attack

A ​Saudi ​Energy Ministry official said on ​Sunday ‌that ⁠an ‌administrative building belonging to ⁠state oil giant Saudi ​Aramco ‌in Riyadh had been ‌targeted in ​an attempted attack on the capital's financial district, with falling ​debris causing limited ​damage ​to the ​building with no injuries or fatalities.

The incident, which the ⁠ministry said caused limited damage, came after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted two missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis towards ‌Riyadh.

Good morning and welcome to our liveblog on the situation in the Middle East. 

We will keep our eyes on several things today, from the attack on Riyadh’s financial district to the government coalition talks in Israel.