Saudis say they thwarted attack on oil facility near Yemen

Saudi Arabia has claimed that it thwarted an attack by Yemen's Iran-backed rebels that sparked a fire near an Aramco oil distribution centre, involving unmanned boats loed with explosives dispatched into Red Sea. In remarks carried by state-run Saudi Press ncy late Thursday, an unnamed official at Ministry of Energy reported that Saudi security forces h intercepted and destroyed two explosives-packed boats that it said Yemen's Houthi rebels were using to target a major refinery and terminal in sourn Saudi province of Jizan.

attempted attack took place late Wednesday near an offloing platform and caused floating hoses that unlo oil to catch fire, according to energy official, who ded that blaze h been brought under control and caused injuries. official sharply condemned attack as threatening commercial shipping routes near vital Bab al-Mandeb strait, used for oil shipments from Gulf to Europe, as well as goods from Asia to Europe.

re was immediate ackwledgement from Yemen's rebels, who have repeatedly fired drones and missiles targeting oil installations, airports and cities in Saudi mainland over course of a grinding five-year war against a Saudi-led military coalition.

In September 2019, drone attacks claimed by Houthis struck two key oil installations in Saudi Arabia, halting about half of supplies from world's largest exporter of oil. Saudi Arabia and US attributed assault to Iran, which has denied involvement.

Saudi Arabia often claims to foil Houthi cross-border attacks, but evidence is scarce, making it extremely difficult to independently verify accounts. Houthis, which Saudi Arabia considers to be Iranian proxies, overran Yemen's capital and much of rth in 2014, driving internationally recognised government into exile. war in Arab world's poorest country has killed over 100,000 people, pushed millions to brink of famine and precipitated what UN calls world's worst humanitarian crisis.