Houthis Attack Saudi Aramco Refinery Following New Defense Pact

Yemen's Iran aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan on Sunday. The Saudi energy ministry confirmed that a fire broke out at the facility, which processes 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, but stated the fire was extinguished with no injuries. The attack occurred two days after Saudi Arabia signed a defense pact with Turkey and Pakistan. This alliance stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three members would be regarded as an attack on all. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the agreement is a general pledge for security and is not directed against Iran or any other country.

In a separate operation, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced missile and drone strikes on the Yemeni port city of Mocha. The Yemeni military spokesperson reported that the attack on the port killed seven people, while the Yemeni transportation ministry stated that the infrastructure suffered severe damage. The port of Mocha is controlled by the internationally recognized government backed by Riyadh.

Regional tensions have escalated since February 28, following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran. In response, Iran and its allied groups have targeted Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The Houthis previously declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month. Regarding the new defense pact, a center left source notes that the agreement technically mirrors Article 5 of NATO and that Turkey is seeking to expand the alliance to include Egypt. The center source highlights that it remains unclear how Turkey or Pakistan would specifically join a Saudi response to these latest attacks.