Houthi missile and drone strikes hit Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Jizan
Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi rebels said they launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco’s oil refinery in Jizan and the export terminal at Yanbu on 26 July 2026, marking the first direct attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure in several years. The group also claimed to have shot down a Saudi‑operated Turkish Baykar Akıncı reconnaissance drone over the northern Yemeni province of al‑Jawf.
In the same period the Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi‑linked shipping through the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a commercial tanker observed a splash from an unknown projectile near the strait, but the vessel and crew were unharmed. Saudi‑led coalition forces responded with airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeida, targeting Houthi military sites. The heightened tension contributed to Brent crude breaching $100 per barrel, reviving concerns over global oil supplies.
Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, emphasized the strategic importance of the Yanbu terminal, which allows Saudi oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Entities: Ansar Allah (Houthi rebels) · Bab al-Mandeb Strait · Bab al‑Mandeb Strait · Jazan refinery region · Jizan refinery · Saudi Aramco · Yahya Saree · Yanbu oil export terminal · Yanbu oil terminal
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Jazan on 26 July 2026. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The attacks were the first direct strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure in several years. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Houthis claimed to have shot down a Saudi‑operated Turkish Baykar Akıncı drone over al‑Jawf province. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Houthi threats to ships transiting the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait contributed to Brent crude breaching $100 per barrel. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Saudi‑led coalition forces carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Hodeida in retaliation. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 2 SOURCES] UKMTO reported a commercial tanker observing a splash from an unknown projectile near Bab al‑Mandeb, with crew unharmed. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Houthis announced a maritime blockade targeting Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait. (supporting_article_ids)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Yahya Saree said the Yanbu terminal bypasses the Strait of Hormuz and is a key export point. (supporting_article_ids)