Yemen’s Iran-aligned Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil installations at the Red Sea ports of Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday, marking an escalation in the ongoing regional conflict. The strikes coincided with a pause by the United States in its air campaign against Iran, marking the first night without US strikes in two weeks.
The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that the group successfully targeted facilities operated by Saudi state oil company Aramco at both Jizan and Yanbu. Video footage verified by independent sources showed significant smoke rising from the Aramco refinery in Jizan, located near the Yemen border. Jizan’s refinery has a capacity of 400,000 barrels per day, while Yanbu serves as Saudi Arabia’s primary oil export port on the Red Sea, playing a vital role in shipping oil that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, which has been a focal point of regional tensions due to Iranian-imposed blockades.
Saudi Arabia has not issued immediate comments on the attacks, but the strikes represent a widening theater of conflict, as the Houthis are expanding their operational reach beyond Yemen’s borders amid the broader proxy dynamics involving Iran and the Gulf states.
Meanwhile, the United States unexpectedly halted a sustained aerial campaign against Iran that had lasted for 13 consecutive nights. These strikes had been launched in retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreement. US officials did not provide a public explanation for the sudden pause.
According to reports citing unnamed sources, President Donald Trump directed military commanders on Friday to cease further strikes on Iran. Trump himself acknowledged ongoing talks to resolve the conflict but noted that Iran was not yet prepared to reach a settlement.
Iran’s health ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour commented on social media that Iran had experienced “a peaceful night,” with no new attacks reported against neighboring Gulf countries, a departure from the near-daily Iranian retaliations observed since the truce ended.
The situation underscores the fragile and complex nature of the Gulf region’s security environment, with multiple overlapping conflicts and diplomatic efforts underway. The Houthis’ attack on Saudi oil infrastructure highlights the risk of further escalation, especially as energy supply routes remain vulnerable amid sustained hostilities. At the same time, the US decision to pause air strikes on Iran suggests a potential shift toward de-escalation, though the pathway to a lasting resolution remains uncertain.