- Tehran-backed Houthi forces fired missiles and drones at two of Saudi Arabia’s most strategically important oil facilities on the Red Sea, targeting Aramco in Jizan and Yanbu.
- No comment on damage to the Aramco refinery in Jizan, but a large column of smoke was seen. In Yanbu, two ballistic missiles aimed at oil installations were intercepted by a Patriot battery operated by the Greek military.
- The truce collapsed after an attack on Sanaa airport provoked the Houthis to fire missiles at Saudi Arabia. The Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi forces launched strikes on the Houthi-held city of Hodeidah.
- The escalating conflict raised fears that the Houthis could block the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Tehran-backed Houthi forces have escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, firing missiles and drones at key oil facilities in Jizan and Yanbu. This marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict fueled by US-Iran tensions. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed the attacks targeted Saudi Aramco installations, with smoke visible from the Jizan refinery.1234
The assaults come after a truce collapsed earlier this month, following an incident at Sanaa airport that provoked the Houthis to retaliate. The Houthis had previously declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, intensifying the conflict. In Yanbu, two ballistic missiles aimed at oil installations were intercepted by a Patriot battery operated by the Greek military, highlighting the international dimensions of the conflict.56
The escalating violence raises concerns over the potential for the Houthis to block the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The situation remains fluid, with no immediate comment from Saudi authorities regarding the damage inflicted on Aramco's facilities.
As tensions rise, the implications for regional stability and global oil markets are significant, with the potential for further military engagements looming.
“A large column of smoke was seen rising from Aramco's Jizan refinery with no comment on damage; in Yanbu, Greek-operated Patriot batteries intercepted two ballistic missiles. The attacks followed the collapse of a truce after a strike on Sanaa airport, and the Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a Bab al-Mandeb Strait closure.”
