Houthis claim drone strike on Saudi refinery in Jazan
Yemen's Houthi movement, which controls much of northern Yemen, has claimed a drone attack on an oil refinery in Jazan on Saudi Arabia's southern Red Sea coast. The claim was reported by the Houthi-run Saba news agency on Tuesday, citing a military source.
The Saba report said the Houthis targeted the refinery belonging to Saudi energy giant Aramco with several drones. It said the attack was in response to what the group described as airspace violations over the Yemeni governorates of Saada and Hajjah. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities about the attack, and the extent of any damage was not clear.
The reported strike comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities that began in July, when the Houthis broke a United Nations-brokered truce that had largely held since 2022. The truce had brought a relative calm to the region, but its collapse has seen the Houthis launch attacks on Saudi territory and on Yemeni government forces, prompting a response from the Saudi-led coalition that has been intervening in Yemen's civil war since 2015.
The conflict in Yemen has its origins in the political instability that followed the Arab Spring in 2011. The Houthis, a movement aligned with Iran, took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014, forcing the Saudi-backed government to operate from the south. In March 2015, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia began a military campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains and restoring the internationally recognised government. The war has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and millions displaced.
Over the past several weeks, the Houthis have intensified their campaign against Saudi Arabia. They have announced a maritime blockade, saying they would target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. The group has also attacked Saudi oil tankers and repeatedly struck Saudi airports and oil infrastructure, including a previous refinery in Jazan. The Houthis say these actions are a response to what they call Saudi aggression and violations of Yemeni sovereignty.
The reported drone strike on the Jazan refinery is part of a broader pattern of attacks using drones and missiles, which have often been intercepted by Saudi air defences. However, some have caused damage and prompted international concern over the security of global oil supplies. In the past, such attacks have triggered spikes in oil prices.
The escalation in the Red Sea region also comes against the backdrop of the wider West Asian conflict, which has drawn in multiple countries and armed groups. The Houthis have been seen as part of the Iranian-aligned axis in the region. Last month, the group welcomed an Iranian plane landing in Sanaa, which was followed by tit-for-tat attacks between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.
International observers have called on both sides to return to a ceasefire and to engage in political negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations. The UN special envoy for Yemen has warned that the latest fighting could lead to a larger conflagration with severe consequences for the region and the Yemeni people. However, the Houthis have continued to press their military campaign, and the Saudi-led coalition has carried out airstrikes in Houthi-controlled areas, further entrenching the conflict.
This report is based on the claim by the Houthi media, and the facts on the ground remain unverified. Any information about the outcome of the attack is subject to confirmation by independent sources.
