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Houthis Claim Missile Strikes on Saudi Aramco Facilities Near Riyadh — AI-generated representative image: Oil and gas infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, amid reports of Houthi-claimed strikes on Aramco facilities.

Editorial Team

Yemen's Houthi movement says it hit Saudi oil infrastructure with ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for strikes on Sanaa

Yemen's Houthi movement announced late Saturday and Sunday that it struck Saudi Aramco oil facilities near Riyadh and in the Khurais area using ballistic missiles and drones, describing the attacks as retaliation for Saudi strikes on the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, and other provinces. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strikes sparked fires at a facility near the Saudi capital.

The Saudi-led coalition disputed the claim of an attack near Riyadh, while videos and satellite images circulating online purport to show large plumes of smoke rising from the site. Saudi Aramco has not commented on whether any of its facilities were hit.

The reported exchange marks a sharp escalation after four years of relative calm between the Iranian-backed Houthis and Riyadh following a UN-brokered truce in 2022. The renewed fighting is worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis and putting pressure on global energy markets, with Brent crude remaining above $100 a barrel for weeks.

The conflict has also collided with broader regional tensions, affecting key shipping routes including the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint and the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20% of global oil supplies.

Major Developments

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted a Saudi Aramco facility near Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, causing fires, as well as unspecified Aramco facilities in the Khurais area.
Saree stated the strikes responded to at least 110 Saudi air and missile attacks over the previous 36 hours on Sanaa and the northwestern Saada governorate, a Houthi stronghold.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Malki called the Houthi claim an "attempt to divert attention from the scale" of the group's losses, which he said are driving them to seek "illusory victories."
Yemen's Saudi-backed forces confirmed their strikes but said they targeted vital Houthi positions, claiming 700 fighters were killed or wounded in 24 hours.
Yemen announced the launch of large-scale military operations Sunday to retake Houthi-held territory, with Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi saying the government was moving "from the preparation phase to action."

Background and Recent Escalation

The Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led intervention in support of the Yemeni government the following year. Following a UN-brokered truce in 2022, the two sides experienced roughly four years of relative calm.

Tensions reignited in July after government forces struck Sanaa Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia, declared the de-escalation over, and announced a naval blockade of the kingdom. By mid-August, they were launching coordinated missile and drone attacks on Saudi-backed government forces, prompting counteroffensives across several provinces.

Fighting escalated further last month as the Houthis struck energy infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia, including Saudi Aramco facilities and the East-West Pipeline. The group has since made major territorial gains, seizing Yemen's Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb shipping chokepoint, and is now pushing toward Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.

Strategic and Humanitarian Impact

Reuters reported on Friday, citing officials and diplomats, that Saudi Arabia is preparing an offensive to reverse Houthi gains. The report said Riyadh could mobilize more than 100,000 Yemeni government troops backed by Saudi airstrikes, with Western allies providing intelligence and material support while staying out of combat. Plans reportedly range from retaking the Bab el-Mandeb coast to a broader multi-front assault across Houthi-held provinces.

The capture of Taiz, a crucial crossroads between the Houthi-held north, government-controlled south, and Red Sea coast, would open a direct route south toward Aden, the seat of the Yemeni government.

The renewed fighting has worsened Yemen's already dire humanitarian crisis, with the UN World Food Program warning Friday that three-quarters of the population is unable to meet its basic food needs. The Houthi blockade of Saudi oil exports and attacks on tankers and energy infrastructure have put both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb under pressure, jolting energy markets. Brent crude closed at around $102 on Friday.

Current Status and Next Steps

Saudi Aramco has not confirmed whether any of its facilities were hit, and the Saudi-led coalition has disputed the Houthi claim of an attack near Riyadh. Media reports suggest one Saudi strike damaged a Sanaa hospital, though Saree did not provide details on specific targets or casualties.

With Yemen announcing large-scale military operations to retake Houthi-held territory and Saudi Arabia reportedly preparing a major offensive, further escalation appears likely. Official confirmation of damage and casualties from both sides remains awaited.