Yemen's Tehran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred early on Sunday, two days after Saudi Arabia signed a defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan.
The Saudi energy ministry confirmed a fire at Aramco's Jazan refinery, which was extinguished without injuries. Authorities are investigating the incident, but did not specify a cause. A Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated on X that the group used a drone to target the refinery in south-west Saudi Arabia.
This attack follows new demands from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's supreme national security council stated the strait would remain closed until the US corrects its "behaviour," ends the war with Tehran and its allies, lifts sanctions, and releases frozen assets. The United Arab Emirates also reported that one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile.
The defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan clarified that the alliance is not directed against Iran but serves to support the security of the three nations.