Yemen's Houthi rebels have struck a Saudi Aramco refinery in the southwestern city of Jizan, causing a fire, according to the Associated Press. The attack was carried out using a drone, marking another incident targeting the facilities of the kingdom's largest oil producer... reports infohub.kz.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the refinery was the intended target, describing the attack as a response to repeated violations of Yemen's airspace by Saudi drones.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy confirmed a fire at the Aramco facility. The blaze was quickly extinguished, with no casualties reported. However, officials did not specify the cause.
In addition, the Houthis struck the port of Mokha on the Red Sea coast. According to Yemeni authorities, rockets and drones were fired at the port.
Saudi Aramco is the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia and one of the world's largest oil producers. It is involved in the extraction, refining, and export of oil and gas, and its facilities are a key part of the kingdom's energy infrastructure.
The Jizan complex has a refining capacity of up to 400,000 barrels per day. It produces gasoline, ultra-low-sulfur diesel, benzene, and paraxylene.
Attacks on Aramco facilities have repeatedly disrupted supplies and heightened tensions around Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure.
Amid the renewed escalation, Iran has hardened its stance on the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran stated that talks with the U.S. cannot resume until its conditions are met. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also announced that negotiations with Oman on new maritime routes through the strait are in their final stage. However, it was emphasized that an agreement on routes does not automatically mean the strait will be reopened.
Iran demands that the U.S. cease military actions, lift the naval blockade, withdraw troops from the region, remove sanctions, and compensate for war damages.