Islamist Houthi rebels killed seven people on Sunday in missile and drone attacks on Yemen's Mokha port, near the critical Bab Al Mandeb strait. These terror strikes also hit Saudi Arabia’s Jazan refinery on the same day, marking a severe escalation of regional conflict.
Yemen’s Transport Minister Mohsen Al Omari reported that the Mokha attack involved at least 25 projectiles. This barrage badly damaged recently restored infrastructure, including economic zones, employee housing, warehouses, private fuel stations, and storage tanks.
A Yemeni military spokesman confirmed the seven fatalities, which included both civilians and military personnel. He stated the assault utilized an explosive-laden boat, causing damage to parts of the dock and facilities used for servicing ships and unloading goods. The rebels also attempted to destroy a solar power plant supplying electricity to Mokha but failed.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed a “large-scale” missile and drone operation against Saudi-backed troops and weapons depots in the Mokha area. Saree asserted the operation involved numerous ballistic missiles and drones, resulting in widespread destruction of military equipment and killing or wounding dozens, including Saudis. The Houthis stated this attack was a direct response to Saudi troop reinforcements and alleged attacks on Yemen's western coast and Taiz province.
Earlier on Sunday, Saree also announced a drone strike on an Aramco refinery complex in Jazan, southern Saudi Arabia, describing it as a “precise” attack. The Houthi group claimed the Jazan strike was in retaliation for what it called Saudi violations of Yemeni airspace over the Saada and Hajjah provinces.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed a fire at the 400,000 barrel a day refinery on the kingdom’s west coast was brought under control, with no injuries reported. Aramco’s industrial firefighting teams extinguished the blaze at dawn, the ministry said. Authorities are completing procedures to deal with the incident without disclosing the cause of the fire.
Escalating Aggression
The Jazan refinery fire occurred less than two weeks after an alleged Houthi attack on 27 July damaged the refinery's gasification complex and tank farm. The Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, citing the kingdom's alleged siege of Yemen, which Riyadh denies. These repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping and Saudi oil infrastructure raise serious concerns about deepening disruptions linked to broader regional conflict near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Jazan refinery, strategically located on the Red Sea near the border with Yemen, has been a frequent target of Houthi aggression. This follows their declaration of an “embargo” on Saudi ports and shipping in the Red Sea, which they claim is in response to a Saudi “siege” on rebel-held areas of Yemen. Saudi Arabia has led a regional coalition in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, 12 years ago in 2014.
Civilian Toll and Ceasefire Betrayal
The Mokha attack came just a day after government forces launched counter-attacks against the Houthis on several fronts. These actions were in response to the rebels' recent strikes on government-held areas in central and eastern Yemen. The exchanges mark a sharp escalation between the Houthis and the government, following a 2022 ceasefire agreement (four years ago) that had largely subsided large-scale fighting.
Just three days ago, on Friday, more than 17 people were killed and many others wounded in a Houthi attack on the central province of Marib, a Yemeni official confirmed. Three additional individuals were killed in strikes on areas hosting internally displaced civilians, the official added. Government sources reported four days ago, on Thursday, that dozens of Yemeni government troops had been killed in recent Houthi attacks. The Houthis, for their part, claimed they fired drones and missiles at troops linked to Saudi Arabia.