Yemen’s Houthi movement said it carried out a drone attack Sunday against a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Jazan, southwestern Saudi Arabia, marking another reported strike involving Saudi petroleum infrastructure along the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that a fire occurred early Sunday at the Aramco facility in Jazan. Emergency crews extinguished the fire, and Saudi authorities reported no injuries.
The Saudi statement confirmed the fire but did not independently confirm all details of the Houthis’ account of the attack, including the weapon used. The extent of damage to the facility and any effect on refinery operations were not immediately detailed by Saudi authorities.
The Jazan refinery is a major component of Saudi Arabia’s refining system. Located along the kingdom’s southwestern Red Sea coast near the border with Yemen, the facility has the capacity to process approximately 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Its operations include the production of gasoline and ultra-low-sulfur diesel.
Sunday’s incident follows other recent Houthi claims involving Saudi petroleum infrastructure.
In late July, Houthi attacks targeted Saudi Aramco installations at Jazan and Yanbu, two locations along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. Commercial vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait declined following those attacks.
Earlier in August, the Houthis also said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers, including one near Yanbu in the Red Sea and another in the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia had not independently confirmed those tanker attacks when they were initially reported.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is part of the maritime route linking the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea through Egypt’s Suez Canal. Commercial vessels, including petroleum tankers and container ships, routinely use the route for trade between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The Houthis control substantial territory in Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, and areas along the Red Sea coast. The movement has received political and military support from Iran.
Recent reporting has also documented the movement of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel and missile-related equipment into Houthi-controlled Yemen. Iran and the Houthis have maintained military ties throughout the conflict in Yemen.
The United States maintains military forces throughout the Middle East under U.S. Central Command. American forces have conducted operations connected to Red Sea maritime security and attacks by Iran-backed armed groups in the region.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have maintained a longstanding security relationship that includes military cooperation and defense arrangements. Saudi Arabia has also continued expanding its defense relationships with other governments. Shortly before Sunday’s incident, the kingdom entered a defense agreement with Turkey and Pakistan.
Saudi petroleum facilities have previously been targets of major attacks. In September 2019, the Abqaiq processing facility and Khurais oil field were struck, temporarily disrupting a significant portion of Saudi oil production. The Houthis claimed responsibility for those attacks, while the United States and Saudi Arabia attributed responsibility to Iran. Iran denied carrying out the strikes.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest crude oil producers and exporters and is a leading member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The Jazan incident is the latest reported Houthi operation involving Saudi energy infrastructure during a period of continued military activity across the region.
As of Sunday, Saudi authorities had reported no casualties from the Jazan fire. The fire had been extinguished, while additional information concerning damage to the refinery and its operating status had not been publicly detailed.