Saudi Arabia Reports 11 Civilians Wounded in Houthi Strike on Najran

Houthi rebels carried out a drone strike on an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia's Jazan region, causing a fire that was later extinguished with no injuries reported, while a separate Houthi attack in southern Saudi Arabia wounded 11 civilians amid Saudi Arabia strikes on Houthi positions. [2] [4]

Houthi Drone Strike Hits Aramco Refinery in Jazan

The drone attack targeted an Aramco refinery in Jazan that processes 400,000 barrels of oil per day. [4] [5] Saudi energy ministry confirmed a fire broke out at dawn but was quickly extinguished with no casualties. [2] [3] Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the strike was a precise hit in retaliation for alleged Saudi drone violations of Yemeni airspace. [2] [4] The Saudi energy ministry stated that Aramco services extinguished the fire that broke out at dawn and confirmed there were no victims. [5] The refinery in Jazan processes 400,000 barrels of oil per day and produces gasoline and low-sulfur diesel among other products. [4] [5] The Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that the rebels succeeded in hitting the Aramco refinery in Jizan in the southwest of the country in what he described as a precise drone strike. [4] [5]

Civilian Casualties in Najran Province Attack

In a separate incident in Najran province on the Yemen border, a Houthi attack wounded 11 civilians including seven Saudis (one a four-year-old with second-degree burns), two Egyptians, a Yemeni and a Pakistani. [1] [4] The attack was carried out in the Najran region on the border with Yemen according to coalition spokesman General Turki al-Maliki. [1] Casualties in Thursday's attack included seven Saudis including a four-year-old who sustained second-degree burns and a woman along with two Egyptians a Yemeni and a Pakistani. [1] The incidents are part of escalating tensions linked to the broader Iran-centered regional conflict with Houthis abandoning a 2022 truce imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi ports and increasing attacks on Saudi ships and Yemeni government forces. [1] [5]

Houthi rebels launch drone strikes on Saudi Arabian targets in Jazan and Najran. — Source: gdelt

Houthi Attacks on Yemeni Government Targets

Earlier Houthi strikes in Yemen killed at least 58 government troops and in another incident near Mocha at least seven people including three civilians. [1] [2] Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the strikes targeted government forces in response to what he described as a Saudi-backed military build-up. [1] In the attack in the west of Yemen the Houthi rebels spoke of a large-scale military operation in which numerous missiles and drones were used against troop concentrations and weapons depots in the government-controlled Mocha region. [2] [3] Weapons and equipment were destroyed according to the statement and dozens of people were injured or killed. [2] [3] An employee of the Yemeni information ministry confirmed the attack and reported damage to port facilities to the dpa news agency. [2] [3] The government-affiliated television station Saba TV also reported that a Houthi militia boat loaded with explosives that had tried to attack the port of Mocha was repelled by government troops. [2] [3]

Escalation After Collapse of 2022 Truce

The incidents are part of escalating tensions linked to the broader Iran-centered regional conflict with Houthis abandoning a 2022 truce imposing a maritime blockade on Saudi ports and increasing attacks on Saudi ships and Yemeni government forces. [1] [5] Yemen's defense ministry vowed to respond at the appropriate place and time. [1] The Houthis who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen have abandoned a 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed government that had largely held despite expiring announcing a maritime blockade of Saudi ports. [1] [4] The rebels have since been hitting Saudi ships and have intensified attacks on Yemeni government forces. [1] [5] Last month they killed 16 troops aligned with the government south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah according to medical sources. [1] In July the Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea in retaliation for the siege of Yemen which Riyadh denies. [4] [5] On Wednesday the Houthis reported an attack on the Saudi tanker Wafa on the Red Sea near the Saudi port of Yanbu. [4] [5]

What to watch next: Yemen's defense ministry has vowed to respond at the appropriate place and time while the Saudi-led coalition has conducted retaliatory strikes on Houthi bases that threaten shipping in the Red Sea.