Houthi-linked media outlet Al-Masirah said on Tuesday (October 13) that the Saudi-led coalition had carried out airstrikes on oil facilities west of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Multiple media outlets also reported hearing explosions in the city.
The strikes came hours after the coalition warned of an imminent attack on an oil facility and urged civilians to evacuate. The Houthis responded by threatening a “tough and painful response”.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki urged civilians to leave the Yemen Petroleum Company site and the al-Sabaha Central Station in Sanaa for their safety. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s fighters were confronting Saudi-backed forces in the capital.
Houthis warn of retaliation
The Houthis warned that any strike would be met with a “tough and painful response”. The group also told employees to evacuate Saudi oil giant Aramco’s facilities. It threatened to target Riyadh’s international airport, which it has struck several times over the past week.
The escalation follows a series of attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities. A strike on Saturday reportedly killed 13 people and disrupted oil production.
On Tuesday, France advised its citizens to avoid airports in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Several other countries have also issued travel warnings for Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia faces economic pressure
The Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemen’s government militarily since 2015 in its war against the Houthis, a conflict that has fuelled a severe humanitarian crisis.
The International Monetary Fund has said Saudi Arabia’s economy could contract by 3.3 per cent this year. Its latest World Economic Outlook report was compiled before the reported attack on Riyadh’s international airport.
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The kingdom has also faced economic pressure from disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid the wider Middle East war.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral security and mutual defence pact. However, Riyadh has yet to receive significant support from its treaty partners in its conflict with the Houthis, according to the information provided.
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