Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Aramco refinery as tensions with Riyadh rise

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants announced they launched two drones at an Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia’s southern Jizan region, marking a further escalation in tensions between the group and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has not yet commented on the claim. According to the Houthi-affiliated Saba news agency, a military source stated the attack was in retaliation for what the group described as Saudi violations of Yemeni airspace over the Saada and Hajjah governorates. The source threatened further retaliation for any perceived infringement of Yemeni sovereignty. This claimed strike follows another Houthi attack announced Sunday against an oil facility on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, which the group also framed as a response to Saudi drone activity over northwestern Yemen. Tensions have risen since the Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20, accusing Riyadh of maintaining a siege on Yemen—an allegation Saudi Arabia denies. Subsequently, a Saudi-led coalition conducted airstrikes on Houthi sites in the port city of Hodeidah, stating the locations were being used to threaten commercial shipping.