Houthi Rebels Claim Drone Attack on Saudi Aramco's Jazan Refinery

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group said it attacked a major Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Jazan on Sunday, prompting a fire at the facility. Saudi Arabia's energy ministry confirmed a fire broke out at the refinery and was extinguished, though it did not state the cause of the blaze.

Attack and Official Response

Houthi military spokesperson Yahay Saree announced the drone attack in a post on the social media platform X. The group has previously targeted Aramco's energy infrastructure in Jazan and other locations along the Red Sea.

In a subsequent statement, the Saudi energy ministry acknowledged a fire at the Jazan refinery, a facility capable of processing 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The ministry reported that the fire was brought under control and that no injuries occurred. It added that authorities were completing procedures to manage the incident.

Geopolitical Context

The attack comes just two days after Saudi Arabia signed a defense pact with Turkey and Pakistan. The accord is intended to create a collective deterrence against aggression, stating that an attack on one member would be considered an attack on all. This follows a significant escalation in regional tensions, including what the source described as a U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.

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Attacks on critical Saudi energy infrastructure can have significant implications for global oil markets, potentially causing supply disruptions and price volatility. Last week, Aramco chief Amin Nasser stated that recent attacks had caused some production interruptions but had no material operational or financial impact on the company.

History of Incidents

The Jazan refinery, located in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen, has been a repeated target. According to a note from consultancy IIR seen by Reuters, Aramco previously shut the refinery on July 27 after a Houthi attack damaged its Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) complex and tank farm area.

Last month, the Houthis also declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The group has been engaged in a long-running conflict with a Saudi-led coalition.