Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Sites and Threaten Shipping Blockade

The Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis, launched missile attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities and infrastructure in Jizan and Yanbu on July 25, 2026. These strikes caused fires in storage tanks in Jizan and forced the temporary suspension of operations at Yanbu and Jazan airports. The escalation followed a Friday offensive by Saudi Arabia against Houthi military targets and telecommunication centers in Hodeidah and on the island of Kamaran.

Beyond land targets, the movement targeted two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea with missiles and drones on July 23. The Transport General Authority of Saudi Arabia confirmed that one vessel, the Encelia, caught fire during the attack. Ansar Allah subsequently threatened that any party cooperating with Saudi Arabia by using the kingdom's ports will pay a "heavy price" for violating a shipping blockade.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras asserted the movement is acting within its "legitimate rights" and urged international companies to avoid Saudi ports. Saudi Ambassador Mohammed Al Jaber responded by stating the kingdom continues to support humanitarian access to Hodeidah ports and the opening of Sanaa airport for commercial flights, despite Houthi attacks on civilian commercial shipping in the Red Sea.