Riyadh (South24)

Today, on Friday, the Iran-backed Houthis announced targeting some sites affiliated with the Saudi giant oil company "Aramco" in Riyadh and the Southern regions of Jazan and Abha.

The Houthis' Military Spokesman said that their forces carried out "a large-scale military operation"  against the KSA using 9 drones.

According to the spokesperson, the operations targeted the Riyadh Refinery, and facilities in Abha and Jazan in retaliation for "the siege imposed on oil derivatives".

The Saudi Press Agency "SPA" cited a source in the Energy Ministry that " the Riyadh Refinery was assaulted by a drone".

The source added that the attack caused the outbreak of a small fire in the Riyadh Refinery which was controlled later. 

"SPA" said that there have been no casualties(death cases or injuries)as a result of the attack.

The Energy Ministry's official stressed that the attack has not affected neither the  Riyadh Refinery's  activities nor oil and derivatives supplies.

The Houthi-controlled Northern  governorates have witnessed an unprecedented oil derivatives crisis for weeks.

The Houthis accuse the Saudi-led Arab Coalition of seizing oil tanks  and preventing them from reaching the port of Hodeidah.  The derivatives crisis in North Yemen caused widespread popular discontent.

On Friday morning, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced freeing two American girls detained by the Houthis in Sanaa. 

The ministry said that a special security operation managed to free the two girls and moved them to Aden, in South Yemen, and then to Riyadh.

The Defense Ministry pointed out that the two girls were detained during a family trip to Sanaa and were mistreated.

The Houthis launched previous similar attacks against Aramco during past years. In 2021, facilities belonging to the company sustained attacks in March and December.

Aramco is the third biggest company in the world in terms of market value. It has a huge influence on the global oil and energy market.

South24 Center for News and Studies

Photo: Riyadh Refinery (al-Arabiya Tv)