Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Installations Amid Escalating Tensions

The Houthi militant group in Yemen has launched attacks on Saudi oil installations in Jizan and Yanbu, targeting refineries and storage sites. The strikes come as tensions between Iran-aligned forces and a Saudi-led coalition escalate, with US President Donald Trump vowing 'major military punishment' for Tehran.

Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesperson, confirmed the group had successfully struck Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu. Satellite images show a massive column of smoke rising from the direction of the Aramco refinery in Jizan.

The Saudi-backed government in Yemen has responded with airstrikes on Houthi missile and drone launch sites, while a Greek-operated Patriot battery intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at oil installations in Yanbu.

Yanbu is a critical Red Sea port for Saudi Arabia's oil exports, with millions of barrels per day loaded onto ships. Jizan has a refinery capacity of 400,000 barrels per day.