Saudi Aramco has suspended operations at its Abqaiq oil processing facility following a drone attack claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement.
The facility, one of the world's largest oil processing complexes, halted operations after the strike and initiated emergency flaring of excess gas at several production sites, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.
Shortly before the shutdown, the Houthis announced that they had also targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline. The pipeline transports crude oil from oil fields in eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, providing a key export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
Satellite imagery from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) showed extensive fire activity at the Abqaiq facility. Images captured on July 27 showed smoke rising from the site, with multiple active fire hotspots visible, indicating significant damage to the strategically important energy infrastructure.
The Houthis said they had carried out strikes on several Saudi oil production and transportation facilities. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operation was launched in response to what he described as incursions by Saudi drones into Yemeni airspace.
The reported attacks increase pressure on regional energy infrastructure despite a recent reduction in direct hostilities between the United States and Iran.
By Sabina Mammadli
