Houthi Missile Strike Rocks Saudi Oil Hub: Ras Tanura Fire Unconfirmed
Houthi rebels claim ballistic missile hit on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, but Riyadh stays silent on damage.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced on Tuesday they had launched a ballistic missile at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery, claiming the strike sparked a fire at the facility. Saudi officials have not yet verified the attack, though reports indicated a fire near the terminal was contained. Ras Tanura, located on the Gulf coast, is one of the kingdom’s two primary oil export hubs.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated the group also targeted multiple Saudi military sites, including Najran Airport, an airbase in Khamis Mushait, and the Defence Ministry in Riyadh. Saudi Civil Defence issued air raid alerts in the capital after intercepting two ballistic missiles, with falling debris causing damage to a building and a vehicle. No official confirmation of the Ras Tanura strike has been released by Saudi authorities.
Strategic Importance of Ras Tanura
Ras Tanura, situated west of the Strait of Hormuz, hosts a refinery with a daily capacity of 550,000 barrels and a major oil export terminal. Together with Yanbu on the Red Sea, these ports handle nearly all of Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports. Both facilities have been targeted by Houthi attacks in previous years, highlighting their vulnerability.
Brent Crude
The Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government, reported intercepting four drones and three ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis on Tuesday. Civil Defence alerts were also issued for Najran, Abha, and Khamis Mushait, though details about the threats remained unclear. The coalition confirmed destroying two missiles headed toward Riyadh but did not address the claim regarding Ras Tanura.
Conflict Escalates in Key Regions
Houthi attacks have increased since July, with a notable rise in missile and drone strikes during October. Targets have included civilian airports, oil infrastructure, and military sites across Saudi Arabia. The group also claimed to have repelled an advance by Saudi-backed Yemeni forces near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Earlier in October, Saudi-backed forces regained control of coastal areas the Houthis had seized in September, reducing the group’s presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Meanwhile, Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported Saudi airstrikes on the Yemeni city of Mocha, though Riyadh has not confirmed these operations.
The ongoing conflict has effectively ended a 2022 United Nations-brokered truce, leaving Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other regions under Houthi control.
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