Saudi Arabia strikes key fuel depot in Yemen as conflict with Houthis escalates

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen claimed the Houthis were using the facility to support military operations that target sites inside the kingdom and against commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The operation came despite an earlier statement from the Houthi-controlled Yemen Oil Company that the facility held no stocks of petroleum products and that an attack would not affect fuel reserves or supplies. The strikes killed two civilians and injured two,, though the Saudi-led coalition insisted it had warned civilians to leave the area beforehand.

“This operation focused on neutralizing the capabilities the Houthi militia uses to threaten the kingdom, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and maritime corridors,” coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said in a statement.

Hours later, in what appeared to be a Houthi response, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles and two drones targeting the Riyadh region and southern Saudi Arabia. At least four people were injured from falling debris,.

Meanwhile, an administrative building belonging to the state oil giant Aramco in the Eastern Province city of Dhahran was also targeted, causing a limited fire. The Energy Ministry said no injuries were reported. Tuesday’s exchange comes amid signs the long-running conflict, which reignited this summer and intensified last month after years of relative calm, is continuing to escalate.