Houthis Launch Coordinated Strikes on Saudi Arabia, Disrupting Oil and Aviation

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated military strikes targeting sensitive sites in Saudi Arabia, including Aramco's facilities in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. The assertion follows an early-morning incident where firefighters scrambled to extinguish a blaze on an Aramco fuel tank near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, confirmed that the group launched two distinct military operations using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and long-range drones. He framed the offensive as direct retaliation against what he termed 'criminal attempts' by Saudi-led forces to strike the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

The strikes triggered severe alarm across the Saudi capital in the early hours of Saturday morning. Saudi civil defence authorities issued rare overnight air raid alerts, advising residents to seek immediate shelter. Residents reported hearing loud explosions echoing across the sky, and the aftermath caused operational chaos at King Khalid International Airport, with major flight delays reported.

The strikes mark a dangerous shift in the regional security landscape. The Houthi forces have recently launched a sweeping lightning offensive within Yemen, seizing vast swathes of territory, leaving the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed Yemeni government scrambling to regain ground.