Houthis Target Saudi Energy Infrastructure Again

The Houthis in Yemen claimed this morning (Sunday) that they attacked the Saudi oil company Aramco's refinery in Jizan, according to the militia's military spokesman. If verified, this marks a further escalation in the regional conflict, coming just days after the Houthis launched a broad attack against recognized government forces in Yemen.

The claim regarding the Jizan attack comes against a backdrop of significantly intensified fighting in Yemen. Last Thursday, the Yemeni army announced that the Iran-backed Houthi militia had attacked government forces, raising fears of a renewed flare-up in the country's long-standing civil war.

According to a report by The New York Times, the Houthis directed their attacks toward army bases and units deployed in the provinces of Marib and Hadhramaut. Both provinces are considered oil-rich areas under government control. The fighting has taken a heavy toll; the state news agency in Yemen, citing a statement by the Arab coalition, reported that at least 17 military personnel were killed in the assault.

The escalation has not remained contained within Yemen's borders. The Saudi-led military coalition, which backs the official Yemeni government, also accused the Houthis of a separate shelling inside Saudi territory. According to reports, 11 civilians were wounded in the border area of Najran. With the Houthis' claim of an attack on the Aramco refinery in Jizan, fears are mounting that the conflict in Yemen will spill deeper into Saudi territory, bringing the threat to the kingdom's energy infrastructure back to the forefront.