Yemen Launches Major Offensive as Houthi Attacks Hit Saudi Oil Facilities

Yemen's internationally recognized government launched a major military offensive on October 4, 2026, aiming to reclaim territory held by the Houthi rebels. The move came amid escalating violence, including Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil giant Aramco. Flames were seen at an Aramco facility south of Riyadh, though the cause remained unverified.

The offensive follows a weekend of intense aerial bombardments. The Houthis reported 26 Saudi-led strikes on their capital, Sanaa, on October 3, with explosions and missile firings witnessed by correspondents. By Sunday, Houthi forces claimed 106 strikes across Yemen in 24 hours, though these figures could not be independently confirmed.

In response, the Houthis targeted Saudi energy infrastructure, claiming attacks on Aramco facilities in Riyadh and the Khurais area. An AFP journalist confirmed visible flames at the Riyadh site, but Saudi authorities dismissed the Houthi claims as misleading. Meanwhile, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi declared the offensive a 'battle for liberation' to restore state authority and free Sanaa from Houthi control.

The escalation traces back to July 2026, when a sanctioned Iranian aircraft's flight to Sanaa triggered a breakdown in the informal truce. The Houthis imposed a naval blockade on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting oil routes and elevating global oil prices.