A renewed wave of cross-border escalation struck Yemen on Tuesday as the Saudi-led coalition carried out military operations against energy and fuel infrastructure in the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces. The developments followed a rare evacuation directive issued to civilians living near the targeted sites.
Coalition Targets Energy and Fuel Assets
According to coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki, military operations were undertaken against what the alliance termed vital assets utilized by Houthi forces to wage war in Yemen. In an official communication released on the social media platform X, the spokesperson specified that the targeted locations encompassed the Al-Sabaha central station situated in Sanaa, underground fuel reserves, fuel storage tanks, as well as energy terminals located across Hodeidah, Sanaa, and Dhamar.
Ahead of the strikes, the Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson instructed residents to immediately vacate an oil facility belonging to the Yemen Petroleum Company on the western outskirts of the capital. The warning marked the first formal evacuation order issued for Sanaa since fighting in the broader conflict flared up again.
Reports of Explosions in Sanaa
Following the evacuation directive, an explosion was heard across Sanaa, as reported by an on-the-ground correspondent from Agence France-Presse (AFP). Around the same time, the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television network broadcast a breaking news alert stating that Saudi aggression had targeted the Yemen Petroleum Company installation in the Al-Sabaha area, to the west of the capital.
Initial reports on the strike came directly from Houthi sources and ground observations, with the Saudi-led coalition initially not having confirmed the specific strike on that exact facility before Major General Al-Maliki outlined the wider military operations against energy sites across multiple regions.
Houthis Issue Counter-Threats Against Saudi Targets
The coalition’s pre-strike warnings drew an immediate and sharp reaction from Houthi authorities, who issued retaliatory threats directed at strategic installations inside Saudi Arabia. Military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on X that Houthi forces would strike three specific Saudi targets if the operation proceeded: Riyadh’s international airport, an unspecified refinery, and an Aramco oil installation in Dammam.
Issuing their own warning in response, Saree urged citizens to immediately move away from and evacuate the locations identified by Houthi forces as potential targets in the event of continued Saudi military action.
The exchange of threats and military actions against critical energy infrastructure highlights the volatile security environment, as both parties signal a willingness to target key economic and transit facilities.
