Key facts
- Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi Aramco facility in Najran.
- The Houthis stated the attack was a response to Saudi military aircraft violating Yemeni airspace.
- The group had previously claimed drone attacks on an Aramco refinery in Jazan.
- The Houthis previously threatened to blockade Saudi oil flows.
- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed significantly amid escalating regional tensions.
Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on Friday that they had conducted a drone attack on a Saudi Aramco facility in Najran, Saudi Arabia. According to the group's Saba news agency, a military source stated the operation achieved its objective and was carried out in response to Saudi military aircraft violating Yemen's sovereignty.
This latest claim follows previous Houthi assertions of drone attacks on an Aramco refinery in Jazan, located on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. The group has stated its commitment to responding to perceived violations of Yemen's sovereignty. Tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have been escalating, with the Houthis having previously threatened to blockade Saudi oil flows.
The reported drone attack occurred amidst broader regional instability, with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly slowing to a near standstill following attacks on vessels. Analysts have expressed concerns over global energy supplies, with Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate futures trading around $87 and $81 a barrel, respectively. US officials have indicated a sustained naval presence in the region, while warning of further economic measures against Iran.