The Yemeni Armed Forces, affiliated with Ansarallah, announced on Saturday that they carried out two large-scale military operations targeting Saudi Aramco facilities, describing the attacks as retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s “blatant and criminal aggression” against Yemen.
Asarallah military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the first operation targeted sensitive Aramco facilities in Jizan with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, while the second struck Aramco-linked facilities in Yanbu using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
According to Saree, both operations achieved their objectives by delivering “accurate and direct strikes” on their intended targets.
Following the reported attacks, social media footage showed thick plumes of smoke rising from Saudi Aramco’s refinery in Jizan, while NASA’s FIRMS/VIIRS satellite monitoring system detected multiple fire hotspots at the facility.
Response to Saudi Strikes
Saree said the operations came in direct response to overnight Saudi airstrikes targeting the port city of Hodeidah, Kamaran Island, and other civilian facilities in western Yemen.
He described the Saudi attacks as a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty that caused both material damage and broader harm to the country.
The military spokesperson also said Yemeni air defenses confronted Saudi warplanes after they entered Yemeni airspace, forcing them to withdraw before carrying out what he described as additional attacks.
“The latest aggression demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s determination to continue its blockade of Yemen and violate its sovereignty,” Saree said.
He stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces remain committed to defending the country and warned that the naval blockade imposed on Saudi Arabia would remain in effect.
“We will not hesitate to expand our operations and escalate our actions based on developments in the coming hours and days, within the equation of a blockade for a blockade and an escalation for an escalation,” he added.
Ansarallah Condemns Saudi Escalation
Earlier, Ansarallah’s Political Bureau condemned Saudi strikes on Hodeidah province and Kamaran Island, describing them as a dangerous escalation and an extension of the blockade imposed on Yemen.
The movement said Riyadh had deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in an attempt to compensate for its military and political failures.
It warned that the attacks “will not pass without a response,” reiterating that the Yemeni deterrence strategy of “blockade for blockade, ports for ports, and escalation for escalation” remains in force.
Sana’a: Saudi Arabia Must Bear the Consequences
Yemen’s Foreign Ministry in Sana’a likewise warned that Saudi Arabia would bear responsibility for the consequences of its latest attacks.
The ministry accused Riyadh of choosing military escalation instead of responding to repeated Yemeni demands to end the blockade that has entered its twelfth year.
It warned that the strikes marked a new phase in the confrontation and would alter the course of the conflict.
Abdul Salam: Riyadh Keeps Yemen Under Siege
Mohammed Abdul Salam, head of Sana’a’s negotiating delegation, said recent Saudi actions demonstrate that Riyadh remains committed to maintaining the blockade on Yemen.
He pointed to the Saudi strike on Sana’a International Airport earlier this month as evidence that the kingdom intends to keep the airport closed unless it authorizes flights itself.
Abdul Salam accused Saudi Arabia of violating Yemen’s sovereignty while simultaneously claiming to defend it, saying Riyadh was attempting to compensate for its failure during years of war by continuing the blockade.
He also condemned the latest attacks on Hodeidah and Kamaran Island, warning that “any aggression against Yemen will not pass without a response and the Saudi regime must bear the consequences of its criminal acts.”
‘Forcing Yemen to Surrender Is Impossible’
Meanwhile, Nasser al-Amer, head of Yemen’s SABA News Agency, told Al Mayadeen that the Yemeni response to the latest Saudi escalation would be significant.
“The Yemeni response to Saudi escalation will be significant,” he said, adding that “forcing the Yemeni people to surrender is impossible, and the Saudi side must lift the blockade.”
The latest exchange marks one of the most significant direct confrontations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen in recent months, raising tensions around the Red Sea as both sides signal that further escalation is likely.