A high-ranking member of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council has warned Saudi Arabia that its territory and interests could face the consequences of escalating war if Riyadh continues its military buildup and pressure on Yemen.
Abdulaziz bin Habtour said Sunday that Yemen would not accept its territory being turned into a battlefield while Saudi land and interests remained beyond the reach of the conflict.
He went on to say that Saudi Arabia’s continued mobilization of forces following economic and political pressure on Yemen indicated that the option of escalation remained on the table.
Bin Habtour further warned Saudi officials against assuming that the war would remain confined to Yemeni territory, saying Yemen would take “necessary measures” to protect its security and sovereignty in response to efforts to establish new military realities.
He also noted that Saudi Arabia is seeking to continue the war in Yemen through local forces, warning that such efforts would not shield the kingdom from the consequences.
His remarks came shortly after reports that Yemen’s armed forces had launched a drone attack on an Aramco refinery in Jazan, in southern Saudi Arabia. The reported attack was said to have been carried out in response to Saudi violations of Yemeni airspace and sovereignty in the provinces of Sa’ada and Hajjah.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense agency said it had activated early-warning systems in Jazan, while reports from the area said warning sirens had sounded.
The Jazan refinery, operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco, has a capacity of about 400,000 barrels per day and is part of a major industrial complex in southwestern Saudi Arabia that also includes power-generation and petrochemical facilities.
The latest attack is part of a broader, strategic escalation following Yemen’s announcement of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
On July 20, the Sana’a government declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, claiming that the Riyadh authorities have maintained “an unjust and oppressive siege” on Yemen for nearly 12 years, “exploiting our resources and imposing a complete blockade.”
The Yemeni armed forces have subsequently announced many successful missions targeting Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.
Back in March 2015, Saudi Arabia, along with its allies, enforced a blockade on Yemen, launching an all-out onslaught supported militarily, politically, and logistically by the United States and certain Western nations.
Tens of thousands of Yemenis have been killed, but Saudi Arabia has not succeeded in obtaining its main objective of reinstating a puppet regime that aligns with its interests.
source: Press TV