Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities threaten Red Sea oil flow

Houthi rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea ports of Yanbu and Jazan. The attacks prompted Saudi civil‑defence authorities to warn residents to shelter in place, while the extent of damage to the plants, which can each process up to 400,000 barrels per day, remains unclear.

The assaults come as the Red Sea becomes a second front in the regional oil crisis, adding to earlier disruptions caused by a blockade of Saudi shipping and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Saudi‑led coalition forces launched airstrikes against Houthi targets for the first time since the 2022 armistice, signalling a potential escalation that could further tighten global oil supplies and pressure Saudi Arabia's economy.