Houthis Claim Drone Strike on Saudi Aramco's Jazan Refinery

Yemen's Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery, an incident that briefly caused a fire at the facility. The Saudi energy ministry confirmed that the blaze was extinguished and that no injuries were reported, though it did not specify the cause of the fire.

The refinery, located in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border, processes approximately 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted the site with a drone, marking another in a series of attacks on Aramco infrastructure in the region.

This latest strike comes just two days after Saudi Arabia signed a new defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan. The agreement stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three nations would be treated as an attack on all, aiming to strengthen collective deterrence. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the alliance is not directed at any specific country but is a general commitment to mutual security.

The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have previously targeted Aramco facilities in Jazan and Yanbu. Aramco's CEO, Amin Nasser, said last week that recent attacks had caused some production interruptions but that operations could be restored quickly, with no material operational or financial impact.

The refinery also produces gasoline and ultra-light sulfur diesel. The Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month, citing an alleged Saudi siege of Yemen, a claim Riyadh denies.