Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery on Tuesday, raising concerns over the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and regional oil supplies.
The strike reportedly triggered a fire at the facility, which has a refining capacity of 550,000 barrels per day. Saudi authorities confirmed material damage in Riyadh after debris from the interception of two ballistic missiles fell in the capital. Reports also indicated that the fire near the refinery’s terminal was brought under control.
The Houthis further claimed to have targeted military transport aircraft at Najran Airport and an airbase in Khamis Mushait. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed these claims.
The rebels also said they had repelled an advance by Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Meanwhile, Houthi-affiliated media reported Saudi strikes on Yemen’s coastal city of Mocha, although Riyadh did not immediately confirm the reports.
The latest escalation threatens regional maritime trade and oil shipments. Ras Tanura and Yanbu are key export terminals for Saudi crude oil, making disruptions at either location a concern for global energy markets.
The fighting follows recent advances by Saudi-backed forces against the Houthis along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.