Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement launched a major assault on Saudi Aramco oil infrastructure on Saturday, striking the Jizan refinery complex and the Yanbu export terminal with a barrage of ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones, according to a statement from Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree.
The attack on Jizan set the refinery ablaze, with satellite imagery and social media footage showing thick plumes of black smoke rising from the facility in southern Saudi Arabia. The Yanbu terminal, located on the Red Sea coast, was simultaneously targeted in what analysts described as a coordinated strike designed to cripple Saudi Arabia’s last functioning crude export corridor.
Yanbu had become Saudi Arabia’s primary outlet for crude shipments after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in March, cutting off the kingdom’s eastern export routes. The dual targeting of both facilities created what energy analysts termed a “dual-chokepoint trap” for the world’s largest oil exporter.
Brent crude surged past $100 a barrel following news of the strikes, marking the first time in months that the benchmark has breached the triple-digit threshold. The price spike reverberated through global markets, compounding the economic disruption already caused by the months-long closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes marked the first direct Houthi attack on Saudi Aramco facilities in four years and represented a significant escalation in Yemen’s role within the broader Iran conflict. The Houthis had previously imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea in July, but the assault on land-based oil infrastructure signaled a new phase of hostilities.
Saudi officials have not confirmed the full extent of the damage to the Jizan refinery, but regional security sources indicated that fire crews were working to contain blazes at the complex. The Yanbu terminal’s operational status remained unclear hours after the attack.
The assault came as Iran and its regional allies have increasingly drawn additional countries into the conflict. The Houthis had previously confined their attacks to Red Sea shipping and strikes on Israel, but the targeting of Saudi energy infrastructure opened a new front that threatened to further destabilize the Gulf region.
Sources: Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, TechTimes
Author: Middle East Desk
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