Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Facility Amid Collapsed Truce

The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have struck an oil installation on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, according to their military spokesperson, Yahya Saree. The operation was described as precise and carried out in retaliation for Saudi drone activities in northwest Yemen. Aramco, the government-owned petroleum enterprise of Saudi Arabia, represents a significant target for the Houthi rebels. The attack on Sunday followed an earlier statement from Saudi Arabia's energy ministry that civil emergency teams had managed to put out a fire at the Jizan refinery.

The Houthis have been involved in a conflict with Saudi Arabia since the latter joined the war in Yemen over ten years ago, backing the internationally recognized government. A ceasefire agreement from 2022 seems to have broken down in the previous month, as the Houthis declared a naval blockade against their northern neighbor and attacked Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.

The attack on the Jizan refinery coincides with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as a point of tension between Tehran and Washington. The US and Israel initiated the Middle East conflict in February, and efforts continue to conclude it.