Brent tops $116, a six-month high, after Aramco evacuates its Dhahran headquarters

Saudi Aramco ordered staff to leave its Dhahran headquarters and work remotely on 22 October, six people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as reported by The New Arab. AFP, cited by Gulf News, said remaining essential staff were told to work from home "until further notice". The cause of an alarm that preceded the evacuation was not known, and Aramco did not respond to requests for comment.Sources:1The New Arab: Saudi Aramco evacuates HQ for first time since Yemen war resumed, The New Arab, 22 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)2Gulf News: Saudi Aramco evacuates Dhahran headquarters, orders staff to work from home, Gulf News, 22 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)

Most staff had been working remotely since a 13 October strike on the complex; Reuters sources described extensive damage, while the Saudi Energy Ministry said it caused only a "limited fire" and no casualties. Saudi authorities said a Houthi attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on 21 October killed two people and injured eight. There was no immediate sign that oil production or exports were disrupted.Sources:1The New Arab: Saudi Aramco evacuates HQ for first time since Yemen war resumed, The New Arab, 22 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)

Brent rose about 4% to $113.13 on 22 October, a five-month high, and climbed to about $116 on 23 October, its highest since 30 April, putting it on course for a third straight weekly gain. US crude (WTI) traded above $100 a barrel.Sources:3CNBC: Brent crude oil tops $116, a six-month high, as tensions swell in the Middle East, CNBC, 23 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)4Investing.com: Nasdaq posts worst day since June as AI financing worries batter risk sentiment, Investing.com, 22 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed that seven vessels were hit or struck mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz; the Associated Press said it could not verify the claim. ING said its earlier forecast for Brent to average $80 a barrel in the fourth quarter was now out of reach.Sources:3CNBC: Brent crude oil tops $116, a six-month high, as tensions swell in the Middle East, CNBC, 23 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)5International Business Times: Oil Prices Climb as Brent Tops $114 and WTI Holds Above $100 After Houthi Attacks Force Aramco to Evacuate HQ, International Business Times, 23 October 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)