Houthi Rebels Strike Aramco Refineries, Sending Crude Prices Soaring

The Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on two Saudi Aramco refining complexes, marking the first direct attack on Saudi oil infrastructure in four years. The attacks sent global crude prices back above $100 a barrel.

The Jizan refinery, which processes about 400,000 barrels of crude per day, was hit by dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, according to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree. Satellite imagery showed expanding fires at the complex following the strikes.

The Yanbu refinery has become increasingly central to Saudi Arabia's ability to export crude after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year. Any confirmed damage there would carry outsized significance for global energy markets, threatening one of the kingdom's few remaining major export routes.