RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s energy minister on Sunday announced a temporary drop in output at a refinery after Yemen’s Houthis fired on power generation and water desalination facilities, which did not cause any casualties.
The Houthis attacked with drones and missiles an oil products distribution terminal in the Jizan region of southern Saudi Arabia, a natural gas plant and the Yasref refinery in the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, the minister said. “The assault on the Yasref facilities has led to a temporary reduction in the refinery’s production, which will be compensated by the reserves”, is it specified in a press release, with reference Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec).
Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, said there was no impact from the attacks on customer supply.
The Saudi-led coalition, which has been fighting the Houthis in Yemen for seven years, said the attacks also targeted a water desalination plant in the town of Al Chakik, an Aramco Jizan facility, a power plant of the city of Zahran al Janoub and a gas installation Khamis Mouchat.
Another Aramco distribution plant was attacked in the city of Jeddah which caused a fire – now under control – in one of the tanks, without causing any casualties, according to the coalition.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States condemned the attacks.
Early evidence from the investigation showed the Houthis fired Iranian-made cruise missiles at Aramco Jizan’s desalination plant and distribution center, the coalition said.
She added that the Saudi air defense systems intercepted and destroyed one ballistic missile and nine drones.
The Houthi spokesman said the rebel group would announce within hours a major military operation against Saudi Arabia.
The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, is in contact with the Houthis’ chief negotiator to discuss a possible truce during the month of Ramadan, which begins in April, his team said.
(Report Moataz Mohamed, Yasmin Hussein and Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Saeed Azhar and Maha El Dahan Dubai; written by Ghaida Ghantous and Aziz El Yaakoubi; French version Camille Raynaud and Laetitia Volga)