Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Refinery Amid Escalating Conflict in Yemen
The Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack on a major Saudi Aramco oil refinery near Riyadh, causing fires at the facility. The strike was allegedly in retaliation for approximately 60 Saudi air raids launched over the past 24 hours against Houthi-controlled territories.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the strike was carried out to counter Saudi aggression, but did not provide further details on the attack's impact. Neither Saudi authorities nor Aramco have issued an official statement regarding the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government announced a massive military offensive against Houthi positions. Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili confirmed that government forces executed 97 'precision operations' across various provinces, resulting in at least 260 Houthi fighter casualties and destruction of numerous military vehicles.