Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed to have attacked a state-owned oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, specifically targeting a Saudi Aramco facility in the Jazan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia.
A Houthi military spokesperson described the drone attack on the refinery as a “precise hit.” The militia stated the attack was a response to Saudi drones violating Yemeni airspace.
The Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed that a fire broke out at the Aramco facility in Jazan. The Ministry stated that emergency responders extinguished the fire and reported that there were no injuries.
The date Saudi Aramco reportedly pushed back the restart of its Jazan plant following the weekend attack.
Attacks in Yemen and Marib
Houthi militants also attacked a port near the Bab al-Mandab Strait in Yemen. Yemeni government sources reported that at least seven people were killed and 20 were injured in the attack on the port, including three civilians and four military personnel.
An employee of the Yemeni Ministry of Information confirmed the port attack and reported property damage to port facilities to the dpa news agency. Separately, government reports stated that at least two civilians were killed in further Houthi attacks in the Marib province of Yemen.
Regarding the port of Mocha, the pro-government television station Saba TV reported that government troops repelled a Houthi militia boat loaded with explosives attempting to attack the site. Houthi rebels claimed to have instead conducted a large-scale military operation in western Yemen, using missiles and drones against weapon depots and troop concentrations in the government-controlled Mocha region.
Regional maritime tensions
Traders are monitoring a potential deal between Iran and Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz would not be fully reopened to traffic without meeting certain conditions, including compensation for US airstrikes on Iran.
