Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Hit Saudi Oil Facility

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen used a missile on Monday to strike a Saudi facility run by the mostly state-owned Saudi Aramco oil company, according to a rebel spokesperson. The facility is located in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. The Saudi government and Aramco withheld comment on the attack when contacted by the Reuters news agency. Attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Houthis have escalated since late May after the expiration of a coronavirus-inspired truce. The Shi’ite Houthis have regularly used ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones – some said to have been supplied by Iran – to stage attacks against infrastructural targets such as oil refineries and airports in Saudi Arabia, which for the past five years has led a coalition of Sunni-Muslim states in backing the internationally recognized government of Yemen. Monday’s missile attack comes a day after the conclusion of the virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia.