Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Refinery Amid Escalating Yemen Conflict

The Houthi movement in Yemen has escalated its attacks on Saudi Arabia by striking an oil refinery on the Red Sea coast. The group, backed by Iran, used drones to target the Aramco refinery in Jazan, according to rebel media.

The strike is seen as retaliation for airspace violations over the governorates of Saada and Hajjah in northern Yemen. A military source cited by the Houthi-run Saba news agency did not detail the extent of any damage.

This attack comes after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, their principal backer in the conflict. The group has been at war with the internationally recognized government since 2014, when they seized the capital, Sanaa.

The United Nations warned that such attacks risk further entangling Yemen in the wider regional confrontation, at a time when the region is already facing intense pressure and regional trade and energy flows are under severe strain.