Houthis target Saudi Aramco refinery in drone attack

RIYADH/SANAA: Regional tensions have taken another dangerous turn after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed it carried out a drone attack on Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery, while a separate barrage of missiles and drones reportedly struck the Yemeni Red Sea port city of Mokha.

The developments come as security concerns continue to grow across the Red Sea and Gulf, adding another layer to an already volatile regional situation.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had targeted the Aramco refinery in Jazan, in southwestern Saudi Arabia, with drones. Saudi authorities confirmed that a fire had broken out at the facility but said it had been brought under control and that no casualties had been reported.

Saudi officials did not immediately attribute the fire to the alleged Houthi attack, leaving some details surrounding the incident unclear.

The Jazan refinery is a strategically important energy facility on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. The complex has a crude-processing capacity of around 400,000 barrels per day and produces products including gasoline and ultra-low-sulfur diesel.

The latest incident is not the first time Houthi attacks have been reported against Saudi energy infrastructure. The Jazan facility was also reportedly affected by an attack in late July, with parts of its gasification complex and tank farm suffering damage, according to reports.

Mokha Port Also Hit

The situation became even more serious when Houthi forces reportedly launched missiles and drones toward Mokha, a strategically located port city on Yemen’s western coast.

Yemeni government forces and medical sources initially reported at least seven deaths, including civilians and military personnel. Later reports put the death toll at 11, with eight military personnel and three civilians among those killed. Around 32 people were reportedly wounded, although casualty figures varied between sources.

Yemeni military officials said air-defence systems intercepted 11 Houthi drones during the attacks. Damage was also reported to civilian and commercial infrastructure around the port.

The attacks come against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States. The Houthis have also previously threatened measures affecting shipping in the Red Sea, framing their actions as retaliation for Saudi policies toward Yemen.

The latest escalation is particularly notable because Saudi Arabia has recently deepened its defence cooperation with Pakistan and Türkiye. The new security arrangement has been presented as a collective defence framework in which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all.

With attacks now reported near both Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure and Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, fears are growing that the conflict could further disrupt an already sensitive regional security and trade environment.