Sanaa / Riyadh, 24 October. Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement said it carried out seven military operations with ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia, targeting Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu, the East-West oil pipeline, the oil refinery in Rabigh and four airports, the movement's spokesman Yahya Saree wrote.
According to Saree, the targets also included the pipeline's pumping stations, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Najran airport and an air base near Khamis Mushait. He claimed the strike on Dammam airport halted air traffic. The East-West pipeline carries oil from fields in the Eastern Province to export terminals on the Red Sea, including Yanbu.
Saudi Arabia has not confirmed any hits. The coalition it leads, according to Reuters, said it had intercepted two missiles heading for Taif and Yanbu. The civil defence agency issued alerts in four western areas, including Mecca and Jeddah, urging residents to take shelter and not to share images of interceptions, but withdrew the warnings minutes later. Yemen's recognised government said the Houthis also fired three ballistic missiles at coast guard sites in Aden.
Houthi-controlled media, according to AFP, said Saudi air strikes on Sanaa and its surroundings killed 16 people; the figure has not been independently verified.
What it means: The Houthis focused on export infrastructure on the Red Sea, the pipeline and terminals through which Saudi Arabia can ship oil while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
Who benefits: The Houthis and Iran, which backs them, put pressure on Riyadh in response to air strikes on Yemen. Confirmed damage would push oil prices up; so far neither Saudi Aramco nor the kingdom's authorities have reported any.
Background: Saudi Aramco is Saudi Arabia's state oil company and the world's largest by output. The Houthis control northern Yemen with its capital Sanaa; in October they have repeatedly claimed strikes on Aramco facilities, and on 15 October a missile hit the presidential palace complex in Aden, killing five people.
We have also reported that a Houthi ballistic missile was shot down over Riyadh.
