The Yemeni Houthis have claimed to have carried out a drone attack on a Saudi Aramco oil refinery in the city of Jizan in south-western Saudi Arabia, according to the Associated Press.
According to a Houthi spokesperson, the strike was carried out in response to Saudi drones violating Yemeni airspace over the provinces of Hajjah and Sa’ada.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Energy had earlier reported a fire at a facility belonging to the Aramco oil refinery in Jizan. The fire has been extinguished; there were no fatalities or injuries. The Saudi authorities have not disclosed the cause of the fire.
On 9 August, the Houthis also launched a rocket and drone attack on the port of Mocha on the Red Sea coast, according to a spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Mocha is one of the main ports under the control of the Yemeni government.
This latest attack comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions surrounding Iran and in the Red Sea. In recent weeks, the Houthis have repeatedly launched missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia and ships in the region.