Houthis Strike Saudi Crude Oil Transport Facilities in Escalating Conflict

The Houthi group in Yemen has claimed to have launched drone strikes on facilities involved in transporting crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

The operation, according to a statement by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea, targeted 'a number of sensitive sites and facilities' using multiple drones.

The move is said to be in response to alleged Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace, as well as a maritime ban imposed by the Houthis on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry had previously stated that its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province and the capital, Riyadh.