Houthi Rebels Strike Saudi Energy Plant After Defense Pact

The Houthi group launched a series of attacks against Saudi Arabia between August 8 and August 9, 2026, targeting both the Najran Region and critical energy infrastructure in the east. On August 8, the group struck the Najran Region, prompting the United Arab Emirates to condemn the assault as a violation of Saudi sovereignty.

On August 9, the rebels targeted a Saudi Aramco gas plant in Jubail Industrial City. The strike caused a loud explosion and fire at the petrochemical hub. This escalation follows the Houthi declaration of a naval blockade of Riyadh along the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.

These attacks occurred immediately after the Government of Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday. The pact, joined by the governments of Pakistan and Turkey, establishes a collective deterrence framework where an armed attack against one member is viewed as an attack against all three.