Houthis strike Saudi oil sites; US halts Iran strikes after two weeks

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants targeted Saudi oil installations at two Red Sea ports on Saturday, raising concerns about the conflict spreading to another critical shipping route. The attacks occurred as the United States refrained from launching air strikes on Iran for the first time in two weeks, breaking a pattern of escalating retaliation for Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for striking sites belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco in Jizan and Yanbu. Reuters verified video showing a large plume of smoke rising from Jizan. Trading sources indicated potential damage to fuel and oil storage at the Jizan facility. In Yanbu, Saudi security sources reported that two ballistic missiles targeting oil installations were intercepted by a Greek-operated Patriot battery.

Yanbu serves as Saudi Arabia's primary Red Sea oil port, handling millions of barrels daily and acting as a key route for oil bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Jizan, located near the Yemeni border, houses a refinery with a capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. Meanwhile, in Yemen, the Saudi-backed government's air force conducted strikes on Houthi missile and drone launch sites and arms depots in Marib and al-Jawf provinces, signaling a potential escalation of the decade-long civil war.

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It seems that our dear Iran had a peaceful night last night.