Houthi Drone Strike on Saudi Oil Refinery Sparks Fire

Yemen’s Tehran-allied Houthi group has claimed responsibility for an attack on an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. The strike early on Sunday targeted the Aramco facility in Jazan, southwestern Saudi Arabia. The facility processes 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed the use of drones in the attack via a post on platform X. “We targeted the refinery in southwestern Saudi Arabia using drones,” he stated. In a separate statement, Yahya said the group also carried out missile and drone attacks on the port city of Mocha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The port city is currently controlled by the internationally recognised governing body, backed by Saudi Arabia in Aden. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy stated that a fire broke out at the Jazan refinery early on Sunday but was extinguished without any casualties. Riyadh is reportedly handling the fire incident at the Jazan refinery, though the ministry did not provide any information regarding the exact cause of the blaze. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi facilities. The pro-Iran group previously targeted Aramco sites in Jazan and struck Yanbu, a Red Sea oil export hub. Last month, the rebel group declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea region, citing an alleged siege by Saudi Arabia on their territory. Riyadh has strongly denied the unilateral siege accusation. The refinery attack occurred exactly two days after Saudi Arabia signed a defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan, a response to growing regional instability caused by the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. The deadly strike also erupted after Iran stated that stringent new demands must be met before it reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates reported that one of its vessels was targeted by an Iranian missile while a deal to open the waterway remained elusive. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council asserted that the vital strait would not be reopened until the US mends its behaviour. The demand was conveyed in a written statement by council secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander. “The US must also end its naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdraw its military, provide full compensation for damages, lift sanctions, and release frozen assets unconditionally,” he stressed.