Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for an attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery. The facility is the kingdom’s largest refinery and sits along the Gulf coast. The claim raises concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure and vital oil export routes.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group launched a ballistic missile strike on Tuesday. He claimed the attack caused a fire at the refinery site. However, Saudi authorities had not confirmed the reported attack, leaving key details unverified.
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Ras Tanura lies west of the Strait of Hormuz and serves as a major centre for Saudi Arabia’s oil industry. The kingdom relies on two main ports for nearly all its oil exports. These are Ras Tanura on the Gulf and Yanbu on the Red Sea.
The Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia with increasing frequency since September, according to the report. Their latest claim comes amid the wider US-Israeli war involving Iran. The escalation has added another source of tension across the region.
Saudi Arabia’s oil export infrastructure holds importance for global energy supplies because of the volume of crude passing through its ports. Any disruption to major facilities could raise concerns among energy markets and shipping operators. However, the available report did not confirm damage to the refinery or any interruption to oil exports.
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Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Saudi Arabia had contained a fire near the Ras Tanura oil terminal. The report described the incident as occurring during the early hours of the day. It did not establish whether the reported fire resulted from the Houthi attack.
The latest developments follow other reported Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition has also said it intercepted missiles and drones aimed at the kingdom. Saudi authorities have yet to publicly confirm the latest refinery attack, while further details about the incident remain unclear.