Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles as Aramco building in Riyadh is damaged, and other Mideast news

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted incoming missiles targeting the kingdom's capital and other regions on Sunday, with falling debris damaging a building belonging to the state-owned oil giant Aramco in Riyadh’s financial district.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said it rescued 22 crew members after a fire broke out aboard a cargo ship in the Sea of Oman, as risks to commercial shipping in the region remain high.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday. Read our full coverage here.

Aramco building in Riyadh damaged after missile interceptions

Witnesses in Riyadh said they heard a loud explosion Sunday morning and described damage across multiple floors of an Aramco building in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh. Some floors appeared to be heavily damaged.

The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and other regions early Sunday, accusing the Houthis of launching the weapons.

The Saudi Energy Ministry said the attempted attack resulted in “falling shrapnel that caused minor damage to the building.” It added that there were no casualties.

The Saudi Center for International Communication and Aramco did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press.

Also, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile overnight targeting Saudi Arabia’s southern region, which borders Yemen and has repeatedly come under Houthi attacks.

The latest developments follow Saudi airstrikes on Saturday near Sanaa, Yemen's capital that is held by the Houthis. Houthi officials said the strikes killed at least 27 people.

— By Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut

The UAE rescues 22 crew members after a cargo ship fire in the Sea of Oman

The UAE National Guard said the crew members — all of Arab nationalities — were in stable condition after receiving first aid following a rescue when their cargo ship caught fire in the Sea of Oman.

The National Guard did not identify the vessel or specify the cause of the fire.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military organization that monitors maritime security incidents, said Sunday that a tanker caught fire on Saturday about 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman, prompting the evacuation of its crew.

The British organization did not identify the vessel or say who targeted it. It was unclear whether it was the same ship whose crew the UAE had helped evacuate.

The incident comes as risks to commercial shipping in the region remain high. On Saturday, U.S. forces disabled a St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, saying it had attempted to breach the U.S. naval blockade of Iran. The blockade has been enforced in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global oil shipments.

Separately, the Iranian military said late Saturday that two tankers had struck mines in the Hormuz area and caught fire. It did not identify the vessels’ flags or destinations.

Israel’s president taps Netanyahu's election rival to form the next government

After days of consultations with parties elected to the Israeli parliament on Oct. 27, President Isaac Herzog said late Saturday that he had decided to designate Eisenkot to form the next government.

Herzog’s decision is another blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election, which produced no winner with a clear majority.

The president's decision does not guarantee that Eisenkot will be the next prime minister. After an official ceremony on Sunday, Eisenkot will launch complicated negotiations with potential coalition partners.

Mixed feelings across crisis-hit Mideast over Israeli political reshuffle

Residents in Israel, the Palestinian territories and across the Mideast expressed mixed reactions to Gadi Eisenkot’s efforts to form Israel’s next government, with some hoping for political change and others expecting little shift in Israeli policies.

In Jerusalem, some hoped for a government that would prioritize Israeli security and bring together deeply divided parties. Some say they wanted a new government to reverse Netanyahu's judicial overhaul and include an Arab party for only the second time in the country's history. “The majority of the country is against this dictatorial regime of Bibi Netanyahu and need a new start,” resident Anny Soronow said.

Palestinians in the battered Gaza Strip and in the West Bank say they felt less optimistic. In neighboring Lebanon, Rima al-Ghazal said he does not expect an Eisenkot-led government to end the ongoing strikes in southern Lebanon.

In Tehran, Iran, resident Ali Soroush said that Israel and the Islamic Republic's “enmity will more or less continue.”

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.