Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launched significant drone and missile attacks on critical Saudi Arabian oil and transport infrastructure on Saturday. In swift retaliation Saudi-backed Yemeni forces bombed Houthi military targets and severely escalating a conflict that threatens global energy supplies.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed the group targeted Saudi state oil giant Aramco’s facilities in the Red Sea ports of Jizan and Yanbu. In Jizan, which houses a 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery multiple explosions caused power outages. Verified footage showed large plumes of smoke rising from the Aramco site.
Flights at Jeddah Airport were also temporarily suspended after Yemeni missiles targeted nearby areas, including the Khamis Mushait air base.
Meanwhile, a U.S.-made Patriot missile battery, operated by the Greek military in Saudi Arabia, successfully intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at Yanbu. Yanbu is Saudi Arabia's primary Red Sea oil port and a crucial export route used to bypass the Iran-blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
In immediate response to the attacks, the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized Yemeni government launched airstrikes on Houthi strongholds in Yemen’s central Marib and northern Al-Jawf provinces. State broadcasters reported that the raids destroyed Katyusha rocket bases and weapons depots, killing several Houthi missile experts. The Saudi-led coalition also bombed Houthi positions in the port city of Hodeidah on Friday.
This intense escalation effectively shatters a fragile 2022 ceasefire. The renewed hostilities follow the Houthis' recent declaration of a naval blockade on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea and threats to target all Saudi oil facilities.
The widening conflict has immediately impacted global markets. Fears of prolonged supply chain disruptions have pushed global oil prices up, with Brent crude spiking above $100 a barrel for the first time since May, raising severe economic concerns worldwide.
