Early Tuesday, Houthi attacks wounded 73 people, including women and children, and sparked fires at southern Saudi oil facilities and utilities. The Energy Ministry said operations were temporarily suspended.
The strikes hit Abha, Jazan, Najran and Khamis Mushait, according to Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki. Jazan’s refinery has capacity of roughly 400,000 barrels per day.
The Houthis claimed dozens of ballistic missiles and drones targeted oil sites and King Khalid Air Base, framing the barrage as retaliation. Riyadh vowed resolve as the fires pushed the region’s energy map closer to a breaking point.
That means two choke points are now in the frame: the Bab al-Mandeb at the Red Sea’s mouth and the already-strained Strait of Hormuz.
Leave a Reply