Saudi-led coalition strikes reported at oil facility in Yemen’s Sanaa as Houthis threaten retaliation
Airstrikes were reported in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday, October 13, after the Saudi-led coalition ordered civilians to evacuate the Yemen Petroleum Company’s Al-Sabaha Central Station in the western part of the city ahead of a planned military operation.
Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television reported that the oil facility had been struck, while explosions were heard in Sanaa. The full extent of the damage and the precise facilities hit have not been independently confirmed.
Before the reported strikes, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned that any Saudi attack on Sanaa would trigger a “harsh and painful” response in Riyadh. He identified three potential targets in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh airport, Aramco’s headquarters in Dammam, and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh, urging civilians and employees to stay away.
The Yemen Petroleum Company reportedly said the Al-Sabaha storage facilities were empty of petroleum products and that the site held no oil reserves for local supply. The coalition had issued its evacuation warning for civilian safety but had not publicly confirmed the strike at the time of initial reports.
The escalation comes amid a widening confrontation between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, following Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and energy infrastructure. Claims that the latest strikes also hit missile-related sites remain unverified.