Loud booms heard near evacuated Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran
Six sources told Reuters loud booms were heard near Aramco's evacuated Dhahran headquarters on 13 October. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted Houthi missiles aimed at the site; Aramco has not commented.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Loud booms were heard near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, which had been evacuated, six sources told Reuters on 13 October 2026. The Straits TimesRC “Loud booms were heard in the vicinity of Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, which had been evacuated, six sources told Reuters.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 2Aramco made no official comment or confirmation, and one source said smoke was coming from the headquarters. The Straits TimesRC “There was no official comment or confirmation from Aramco.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “one source said smoke was coming from Aramco's headquarters” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis towards the headquarters, and that missile fragments fell in a nearby residential area. The Jerusalem PostRC “with the coalition saying that missile fragments fell in a nearby residential area” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Right · 1Saudi Civil Defense issued an early warning for the Eastern Province earlier in the day, then another for Riyadh shortly after the interceptions. The Jerusalem PostRC “Saudi Civil Defense issued an early warning for the country's eastern province earlier on Tuesday, then issued another for Riyadh shortly after the interceptions.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 2A loud boom was then heard in Riyadh. The Straits TimesRC “a loud boom was heard in that city afterwards” Read at The Straits Times ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “A loud boom was heard in the Saudi capital following the warning.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 2The reports describe a developing situation; the extent of any damage and the cause of the smoke have not been confirmed. The Jerusalem PostRC “This is a developing story.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ The Straits TimesRC “One source said there was smoke coming out of Aramco headquarters.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both run Reuters copy on the booms; the Jerusalem Post headline attributes them to coalition interception of Houthi missiles, the Straits Times to unnamed sources.
- Emphasis
- Sources, lack of Aramco confirmation, and the Riyadh warning; the Jerusalem Post adds the coalition interception.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Straits Times version omits the coalition's statement on interceptions and fragments.
- Charged language
- “Iran-backed Houthi terrorists”
- For example
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“Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters after coalition intercepts Houthi missiles” — The Jerusalem Post
“Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, sources say” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Loud booms were heard near Aramco's Dhahran headquarters, which had been evacuated, per six sources to Reuters.
- Aramco gave no official comment.
- Saudi civil defense issued a warning for Riyadh and a boom was heard there.
Where accounts differ
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Cause of the booms
- Right
- The Jerusalem Post (Reuters copy) reports the coalition said it intercepted Houthi missiles; The Straits Times copy does not mention a cause.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
Right2 articles
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, sources say
Neutral Reuters copy centred on unnamed sources and absence of official confirmation.
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Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters after coalition intercepts Houthi missiles
Neutral Reuters copy leading with the coalition's interception claim; uses 'terrorists' for the Houthis.
- 13 Oct 19:55 First The Straits TimesRC Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, sources say via Reuters
- 13 Oct 20:02 +7m The Jerusalem PostRC Loud booms heard near Saudi Aramco headquarters after coalition intercepts Houthi missiles
- 13 Oct 20:09 +14m Anadolu AgencyN Saudi-led coalition intercepts 2 Houthi ballistic missiles targeting eastern Saudi Arabia
- 13 Oct 20:17 +22m Gulf NewsN Houthi missiles intercepted over Dhahran and Haradh, debris falls in residential area
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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