A fuel crisis has hit Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa after the Saudi-led coalition warned civilians to leave a major oil storage facility before carrying out strikes.
The coalition issued an evacuation warning for the Yemen Petroleum Company's al-Sabaha central station on the western outskirts of the capital.
The warning prompted residents and drivers to rush to petrol stations amid fears that attacks on fuel infrastructure could lead to shortages.
Al-Sabaha is one of the Yemen Petroleum Company's main storage sites in Sanaa and is believed to hold at least 200,000 litres of fuel.
The facility, which contains four main storage tanks, plays an important role in supplying the capital and surrounding areas.
The New Arab witnessed queues forming at petrol stations across Sanaa, with congestion forcing some to temporarily stop serving vehicles.
Residents said they feared shortages of petrol, diesel and cooking gas at a time when household finances are already under severe pressure.
Mohammed Abdul-Qawi said he went to secure cooking gas for his family because he was concerned supplies could disappear if the crisis worsened.
Truck driver Ali Jaber said a fuel shortage could leave him without an income.
"My livelihood and my family's livelihood depend on the vehicle I work with," he told The New Arab.
Transport workers are particularly vulnerable because thousands of families rely on income from trucks, taxis, buses and other vehicles.
Farmers could also be affected because diesel is widely used to pump water from wells and irrigate agricultural land.
Commercial electricity generators, which many residents depend on for power, could also face disruption or higher operating costs if fuel becomes scarce.
The tensions escalated further when Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned employees and civilians to leave areas near Saudi Aramco facilities.
He said the group's forces could target Aramco sites in Saudi Arabia if the coalition struck the facility in Sanaa.
Saree named Aramco's facilities in Dammam, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and the company's Riyadh refinery among possible targets.
He also renewed warnings to airlines, airports, passengers and workers at Saudi aviation facilities.
The Saudi-led coalition subsequently carried out strikes on the Yemen Petroleum Company facility in Sanaa.
Strikes were also reported at Ras Isa oil port in Hodeidah province.
Ras Isa is one of three main Red Sea ports in Hodeidah used by the Houthi authorities to receive imported fuel.
The latest escalation follows months of renewed confrontation between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government, including a new offensive around Sanaa and growing military activity across Yemen.
The Houthis have also threatened shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab as the conflict has widened.
In July, the group announced what it described as a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, threatening further escalation in response to coalition attacks.