Houthis strike Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery, reopening a front held quiet since 2022

Overview

Updated 4 hours ago

What began as a single drone strike on August 9 has grown into the most serious Saudi-Houthi fighting since the 2022 truce. On September 8, Houthi missiles and drones hit four Saudi cities, wounded 73 people, and set fires at oil sites. The 400,000-barrel-per-day Jazan refinery has not fully operated since late July.

On September 10, drones launched from Iraq hit pump stations on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which had been moving 4 to 5 million barrels a day. Riyadh shut the line the next day, and Brent crude traded near $105 a barrel. The Houthis also reached Perim island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Red Sea's southern gateway. Iraq confirmed the drones came from its territory, dismissed two senior officials, and set a September 30 deadline for armed groups to disarm.

Why it matters

Every drone that hits Saudi oil infrastructure makes Gulf supply riskier and raises prices at the pump worldwide.

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Key Indicators

400,000 bpd

Jazan refinery capacity

The Red Sea complex can process 400,000 barrels of crude per day.

People wounded on Sept 8

Houthi missiles and drones hit four Saudi cities, wounding 73, including women and children.

$105/barrel

Brent crude, Sept 11

Brent futures traded near $105 a barrel after the pipeline attack, ending the week above $100 for the first time since mid-May.

4-5 million bpd

East-West pipeline throughput

The line had been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels a day, about 4% to 5% of global supply, before the Sept 10 strike shut it down.

Since late July

Jazan refinery below full capacity

Repeated Houthi strikes have kept the plant from running at full capacity.

Sept 11

Perim island reached by Houthis

Houthi forces reached the strategic island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Transit through the strait has fallen about 60% since late 2023.

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People Involved

Yahya Saree

Military spokesman, Houthi movement

Announcing a widening campaign of strikes on Saudi cities and energy sites; says Red Sea shipping is safe except for Saudi vessels

Abdel-Malik al-Houthi

Leader of the Houthi movement

Directing the group's strategy against Saudi Arabia and shipping

Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Crown Prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia

Weighing Saudi response as strikes resume

Organizations Involved

Saudi Aramco

State oil company

Jazan refinery below full capacity since late July; East-West pipeline shut after Sept 10 strikes

Aramco is Saudi Arabia's state oil company and the backbone of the kingdom's economy.

Houthi movement (Ansar Allah)

Armed political movement

Waging a sustained missile and drone campaign against Saudi energy and civilian sites; has reached Perim island and seized Mokha near the Bab el-Mandeb strait

The Houthis are an Iran-aligned movement that controls northern Yemen and much of its population.

Saudi Ministry of Energy

Government ministry

Confirmed Sept 8 fires and the pipeline attack; announced East-West shutdown

The ministry oversees Saudi Arabia's energy sector and confirmed the Jazan fire.

Timeline

April 2022 September 2026

11 events Latest: Today Showing 8 of 11

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Iraq confirms drones came from its territory, sets disarmament deadline
Today Diplomacy

Iraq's government confirmed the Sept 10 pipeline attack originated from its territory, dismissed two senior officials, and pledged an investigation. It set a Sept 30 deadline for nonstate armed groups to disarm; several powerful Iran-backed militias said they will not comply.
Today
Houthis reach Perim island in the Bab el-Mandeb strait
Military

Houthi forces reached the strategic island of Perim (Mayun) in the Bab el-Mandeb strait and seized the Red Sea port of Mokha.
Yesterday
IEA reports Saudi crude supply at lowest in more than three decades
Market

The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude supply fell to the lowest levels in more than three decades. Brent futures traded near $105 a barrel, ending the week above $100 for the first time since mid-May.
Yesterday
Drones from Iraq hit East-West pipeline pump stations
Military

Drones from Iraq, according to both Baghdad and Riyadh, struck pump stations on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and started fires. Saudi Arabia shut the pipeline the next day.
2 days ago
Houthis strike Jazan refinery again; complex still offline
Military

Aramco's Jazan refinery took another Houthi strike on September 6 and remained offline the next day. The plant has not fully operated since late July.
6 days ago
August 2026
Drone strikes Aramco's Jazan refinery
Military

A Houthi drone sets fire to the Jazan refinery. Aramco crews put it out with no injuries. It is the first Houthi hit on Saudi energy in four years.
August 9th, 2026 • Dawn
July 2026
Houthis claim strikes on Jizan and Yanbu
Military

The group says it fired missiles and drones at Aramco-linked sites in Jizan and Yanbu. A fire is reported at the Jazan refinery.
July 25th, 2026
Saudi forces strike Houthi-held Hodeidah
Military

Saudi Arabia hits Houthi positions in the port city of Hodeidah, raising the risk that Yemen slides back into open war.
July 24th, 2026
March 2026
Iran hits Saudi targets, oil prices jump
Military

Retaliatory strikes reach Saudi Arabia, including oil facilities. Brent crude climbs above $80 a barrel before easing back over the following months.
March 2nd, 2026
February 2026
US and Israel strike Iran, war begins
Military

Joint US-Israeli strikes hit Iran's nuclear and military sites. Iran retaliates with missiles and drones across the region and moves to close the Strait of Hormuz.
February 28th, 2026
April 2022
UN-brokered truce calms the Yemen border
Diplomacy

A two-month truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition takes hold. It is extended and largely holds for four years, even as formal terms lapse.
April 1st, 2022

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Scenarios

Houthis keep hitting Saudi oil, refinery strikes become routine

Possible Resolves by Nov 9, 2026

Discussed by: Al Jazeera and Washington Post coverage of the widening Red Sea front

The Jazan strike is the start of a sustained campaign rather than a one-off. Tit-for-tat Saudi airstrikes in Yemen keep drawing Houthi drones and missiles toward Aramco facilities. Each side answers the last blow, and Saudi energy sites stay under regular threat.

Back-channel talks restore the lull, strikes stop

Possible Resolves by Nov 9, 2026

Discussed by: Arab Center Washington DC analysis of Saudi-Houthi de-escalation

Riyadh has spent years trying to exit Yemen and protect its economy. Both sides step back through Omani or other mediation, halting cross-border strikes. Saudi oil facilities go untouched again as the informal truce is patched back together.

Saudi Arabia launches a major offensive inside Yemen

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: ABC News reporting on Saudi-Houthi airstrike exchanges

Repeated hits on Aramco push Riyadh to abandon restraint. Saudi forces mount a sustained air campaign or ground push against Houthi strongholds, beyond the limited strikes on Hodeidah and Saada. Yemen tips back toward full-scale war.

Gulf strikes drive Brent crude back above $85

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Euronews and market analysts tracking the 2026 oil shock

Escalating attacks on Gulf energy sites and shipping spook oil traders. Damage or fear of damage to Saudi output pushes Brent crude, near $70 in July, back above $85 a barrel. Consumers feel it at the pump worldwide.

East-West pipeline stays shut, pushing more crude through the Strait of Hormuz

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Reuters and Al-Monitor coverage of the pipeline shutdown

Saudi Arabia shut the East-West pipeline after projectiles hit pump stations on September 10. The line is the kingdom's main export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. A prolonged shutdown pushes more Saudi crude through the strait, where shipping is already under threat in the 2026 Iran war.

Brent crude tops $100 as Gulf supply fears build

Possible Resolves by Oct 31, 2026

Discussed by: NBC News and market analysts tracking the 2026 oil shock

Brent reached $98 after the September 8 attacks on Saudi energy sites. Another strike, or a prolonged pipeline outage, could push it past $100, the level reached at the war's peak. Higher crude prices show up at the pump worldwide.

Houthis close Bab el-Mandeb to Saudi shipping

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Reuters and Al-Monitor reporting on Houthi gains at Perim island and Mokha

With Perim island and the port of Mokha in their hands, the Houthis can threaten the 28-kilometre-wide Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Red Sea's southern gateway. Transit through the strait has already fallen about 60% since the Houthis began attacking vessels in late 2023. A full closure would force tankers to sail around Africa and push oil prices higher.

Iraqi militias launch fresh drone attacks on Saudi oil sites

Possible Resolves by Oct 31, 2026

Discussed by: CNN, Al-Monitor and Seattle Times reporting that Baghdad and Riyadh traced the pipeline attack to Iraq

Iraq dismissed a military commander and opened an investigation after the September 10 pipeline attack. If Iran-backed Iraqi militias strike Saudi oil targets again, Riyadh may face pressure to respond inside Iraq. That would open a new front in the 2026 Iran war.

Iraqi militias ignore the Sept 30 disarmament deadline and strike Saudi oil again

Possible Resolves by Oct 15, 2026

Discussed by: Associated Press reporting via The Seattle Times on Iraqi militia fallout

Iraq set a Sept 30 deadline for nonstate groups to disarm after the pipeline attack. Several powerful Iran-backed militias have already refused. If they hit Saudi territory again, Riyadh faces pressure to respond inside Iraq, opening a new front in the 2026 Iran war.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1984–1988

Tanker War (1984–1988)

During the Iran-Iraq war, both sides attacked oil tankers and terminals in the Persian Gulf. Hundreds of vessels were hit, and the US Navy began escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers.

Then

Shipping insurance costs soared and traffic through the Gulf grew dangerous.

Now

It set a pattern of energy infrastructure and shipping being used as leverage in Gulf conflicts.

Why this matters now

It shows how Gulf oil supply becomes a weapon when regional wars widen, the same dynamic now pulling Saudi refineries in.

September 2019

Abqaiq–Khurais attack (2019)

Drones and missiles struck Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq processing plant and Khurais oil field. The strikes briefly knocked out about 5.7 million barrels per day, roughly half the kingdom's output. The Houthis claimed the attack; the US and Saudi Arabia blamed Iran.

Then

Oil prices spiked by the largest single-day jump in decades before Aramco restored output within weeks.

Now

The strike exposed how vulnerable Saudi oil hubs are to drones and shaped fears about Gulf supply security.

Why this matters now

It is the benchmark for what a serious hit on Aramco can do. The Jazan fire was minor by comparison, but it revives the same fear.

March 2022

Houthi strikes on Aramco depots (2022)

Houthis hit an Aramco fuel depot in Jeddah, sending smoke over a Formula 1 race weekend, and struck other Saudi sites. The attacks came during the war before the UN truce took hold weeks later.

Then

Saudi Arabia warned it would not bear responsibility for oil supply shortfalls caused by the strikes.

Now

The pressure fed into the April 2022 truce that quieted the border for four years.

Why this matters now

This is the last time Houthis openly targeted Saudi oil before now. The August 9 strike ends the calm that followed.