Yemeni Houthi forces launched fresh drone and missile attacks targeting oil infrastructure and military installations inside Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Major General Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, announced the interception of suspected Houthi drones in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the group targeted oil facilities and military assets in the kingdom. The operations included a drone strike on a pumping station along the East-West Pipeline and another on the Yanbu oil facility situated on the Red Sea.
Riyadh has rerouted about four million barrels of crude oil per day through its East-West Pipeline to Yanbu. This volume represents about four percent of global energy supply.
Saree also claimed that a military cargo plane at Sharurah airport near the Yemeni border was targeted with a drone. He added that a ballistic missile fired toward Khamis Mushait airbase achieved a direct hit, and that Houthi forces targeted the Saudi Aramco headquarters in Riyadh.
Saree rejected as a grave falsehood a Saudi assertion that the group had targeted the kingdom Mecca region on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Saudi-backed coalition forces fighting for Yemen internationally recognised government reported ongoing clashes with the Houthis across multiple frontlines.
Yemens Defence Ministry held a meeting in the Marib governorate, citing the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council. Officials discussed military operations, coordination among units involved in the Dawn of Yemen offensive, and stated that the battle was moving toward its desired objectives, according to the official Saba news agency.
The United Nations Security Council unanimously voted on Thursday to extend sanctions related to Yemen for another year. The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and a demand for an end to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The mandate for the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen was likewise extended.
Council members urged all parties to avoid escalatory actions and resolve disputes through negotiation while backing the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The resolution explicitly condemned Houthi maritime and cross-border attacks, threats to commercial shipping, and military escalation.
The resolution stipulated that sanctions enforcement must not interfere with humanitarian assistance, civilian basic needs, or legitimate trade activities. Chinese ambassador to the UN Fu Cong said the council sanctions are a means rather than an end, expressing hope for a rapid de-escalation in Yemen.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Thursday that more than 333,000 people have been displaced across Yemen since the beginning of August, with over 24,000 displaced in the preceding week. Civilians continue to bear a heavy price as violence damages health facilities, displaces families, and obstructs humanitarian workers.
Saudi Arabia is currently pressing the European Union to adopt a European Parliament resolution designating the Ansar Allah Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation. European officials expressed concern that the designation could undermine future peace efforts. EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El-Anouni stated that the bloc maintains regular contact with Riyadh on regional developments but declined to comment on specific discussions.
