Riyadh/Sanaa (HRNW)- Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco’s Jazan refinery, while Saudi authorities confirmed that a fire broke out at the facility but said it was brought under control with no casualties reported.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed in a statement on X that the group targeted the Aramco refinery in the southwestern Saudi region of Jazan with a drone.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Energy, a fire broke out at the refinery and was subsequently extinguished. The ministry did not specify the cause of the fire, saying that relevant authorities were dealing with the incident and carrying out necessary procedures.
The Jazan refinery is a strategically important facility for Saudi Arabia and the global energy market. It has the capacity to process approximately 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day and produces gasoline and other petroleum products, including ultra-low-sulfur diesel.
The Houthis have previously targeted Aramco facilities in Jazan and Yanbu along the Red Sea coast. According to reports, the Jazan refinery was temporarily shut down following a Houthi attack on July 27, which reportedly damaged parts of its Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Complex and tank farm.
Meanwhile, reports also emerged of a large-scale Houthi missile and drone attack on the Red Sea coastal city of Al-Mokha in Yemen.
According to Yemeni government forces and medical sources, the attacks targeted the port, civilian facilities and military positions. Initial military figures reported at least seven deaths, including three civilians and four military personnel, while approximately 30 people were injured.
Later medical and international reports put the death toll at at least 11, including three civilians and eight military personnel, with around 32 people reported injured. However, casualty figures varied among different sources.
According to the Yemeni army, air defense systems shot down 11 Houthi drones during the attacks. Civilian and commercial infrastructure at the port was also reportedly damaged.
The latest developments come amid heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The Houthis announced a naval blockade of the Red Sea against Saudi Arabia last month, describing it as a response to Saudi actions in Yemen, while Saudi Arabia has rejected the allegations.
Following the recent attacks, Saudi Arabia also signed a new defense agreement with Turkey and Pakistan, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all three.
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