Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said Tuesday that it had targeted the Jazan refinery operated by Saudi Aramco, a major crude oil processing facility on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast in the country’s southwest.
The Houthi-run Saba news agency said the drone attack was carried out “in response to violations of Yemeni airspace” over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah, citing an unidentified military source.
CNN said it could not independently verify the Houthi claim, while Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the reported attack.
The Houthis have previously claimed to have targeted the Jazan refinery. Earlier this month, the group said it had attacked the facility after Saudi authorities reported a fire at a plant belonging to the refinery complex.
Tensions have intensified in recent weeks around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategically important maritime chokepoint, after the Houthis announced a blockade targeting Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia remains the main backer of Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces, placing the country at the center of the escalating confrontation with the Houthi movement.
On Monday, the Houthis also claimed to have attacked what they described as a Saudi military vessel and four accompanying ships in the Red Sea using ballistic missiles, following a weekend of heightened tensions in the region.
The latest claims come amid growing concerns over the security of critical energy infrastructure and maritime routes in and around the Red Sea, with any confirmed attacks potentially carrying wider implications for regional security and global energy markets.
