Saudi Energy Operations Halted After Houthi Attacks on Refineries

Saudi Arabia's energy operations have been halted at several facilities in the south following fresh Houthi attacks, which sparked fires and added to concerns over oil supplies as Brent crude approaches $100/bbl.

The Yemen-based Houthis targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Abha, Najran, and Jazan with ballistic missiles and drones, according to a statement from the group's military spokesperson. The targets appear to include infrastructure supplying domestic Saudi demand, and repeated attacks on Jazan - home to a 400,000-bpd refinery - are a growing concern for oil markets.

The Jazan refinery has been targeted repeatedly since the Houthis warned in July that they would blockade Saudi oil flows. Facilities in Abha and Najran are part of Saudi Arabia's nationwide oil and gas distribution network and primarily serve domestic consumption, according to a 2025 Saudi Aramco prospectus.

Saudi officials said recent attacks targeting four cities near the Yemeni border have injured 73 people. Markets are increasingly pricing a prolonged Mideast conflict, with Goldman Sachs analysts modestly raising their oil-price forecasts on expectations that shipping disruptions will persist into 2027.