Saudi Arabia Strikes Yemen Oil Facility Near Sanaa After Evacuation Warning
Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on an oil facility near the Yemeni capital Sanaa and on Ras Isa in Al Hudaydah province after the Saudi-led coalition ordered civilians to evacuate the site and amid mutual threats with the Houthis.
Saudi Strike on Sanaa Oil Facility
Houthi media reported that Saudi Arabia struck an oil facility at the Yemen Petroleum Company’s al-Sabaha Central Station west of Sanaa. [2] An AFP correspondent in Sanaa reported hearing an explosion at the site. [4] The Saudi-led coalition had warned civilians to evacuate the al-Sabaha site for their own safety, marking the first such evacuation order for Sanaa since the war flared up again in July. [4] A breaking news alert on the Houthis' Al-Masirah TV said "Saudi aggression targets the oil company in Al-Sabaha, west of Sanaa". [4] The coalition demanded that civilians evacuate the site of the Yemen Petroleum Company, the al-Sabaha Central Station in Sanaa for their own safety, according to spokesman Turki al-Maliki on X. [4] The site is located on the western outskirts of the capital. [4]
Houthi Threats of Retaliation
The Houthis warned that any strike would be met with a tough and painful response and ordered employees to evacuate Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia while threatening to target Riyadh’s international airport. [2] The Iran-backed rebels also warned employees and civilians to distance themselves from Aramco sites in Saudi Arabia as they planned to target the company's sites. [2] The Houthis issued a swift warning that a strike would be met with a tough and painful response, telling employees to evacuate Saudi oil giant Aramco facilities and threatening to hit Riyadh's international airport, which they struck several times in the past week. [4] An attack there on Saturday left 13 people dead, rocking the world's top crude oil exporter and deepening the war in Yemen, where it backs the internationally recognised government. [4]
Saudi airstrike hits Yemen Petroleum Company oil facility at al-Sabaha west of Sanaa. — Source: thenewarab
Airstrikes on Al Hudaydah Province
Separately, 10 airstrikes hit Yemen’s western Al Hudaydah province, targeting the Ras Isa area according to pro-government Yemen Today TV. [1] Strikes targeted the Ras Isa area, says pro-government Yemen Today TV. [1]
Context of Renewed Conflict
The Saudi-led coalition has backed Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Iran-backed Houthis since 2015 in a civil war that has created a severe humanitarian crisis. [4] The coalition has supported Yemen's government militarily since 2015, in a long-running civil war against the Houthis that has created a deeply entrenched humanitarian crisis in the impoverished country. [4] It was the first time the coalition battling the Houthis has issued an evacuation order for Yemen's Sanaa since their war flared up again in July. [4]
Saudi airstrike hits oil facility at Yemen Petroleum Company al-Sabaha station west of Sanaa. — Source: france24
Regional Fallout and Travel Warnings
After a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia's airports and oil facilities, many countries have since issued travel warnings to their citizens in Saudi Arabia, most recently France, which told its citizens to avoid the airports in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam on Tuesday. [4] The kingdom was still weathering fresh attacks on Tuesday, with the coalition saying its forces intercepted three drones north of Riyadh. [4] The French embassy in Riyadh tells citizens to avoid Saudi airports targeted by Houthis. [4]
What to watch next: The Houthis have threatened to target Aramco facilities and Riyadh's international airport following the strikes, while the coalition has intercepted drones north of Riyadh amid ongoing mutual warnings.
