Saudi Aramco has shut its 400,000-barrels-per-day Jazan oil refinery after a Houthi missile and drone attack damaged key infrastructure at the facility, Reuters reported on Monday, citing consultancy IIR.
According to the consultancy's note, the refinery was taken offline on July 27 after the attack damaged the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) complex and the oil storage tank area. Repair work is underway, with operations expected to resume initially by Aug. 15, Reuters reported.
The disruption affects one of Saudi Aramco's newest refining assets and comes as the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement spills further into the kingdom's energy infrastructure.
ALSO READ: Houthis Claim Attack On Saudi's East-West Supply Lines Linking To Red Sea
Multiple media reports said that Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed on Saturday that the group had "successfully targeted" Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu using missiles and drones. The attacks, according to the Houthis, were carried out in response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen's Hodeidah province.
Located in Saudi Arabia's Jazan Province along the Red Sea coast, the refinery has a processing capacity of 400,000 barrels per day and produces ultra-low sulphur gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, benzene and sulphur for domestic consumption as well as exports. The facility is integrated with a Red Sea export terminal, allowing Saudi Arabia to ship refined products directly to international markets without relying on the Strait of Hormuz, a route that has faced repeated security threats amid escalating regional tensions.
Its proximity to Yemen, however, has long made the complex one of Saudi Arabia's most vulnerable energy assets during periods of conflict with the Houthis.
The latest strike comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis. The Iran-backed group has announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and warned commercial shipping companies against calling at Saudi ports, while also threatening to target the kingdom's oil infrastructure along the Red Sea.
ALSO READ: Oil Retreats: Brent Slumps 5% To Below $84 After Trump Hints At 'Good' Talks With Iran
According to media reports, Saudi-backed forces have responded with airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, saying the operations targeted military sites linked to attacks on commercial shipping.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for another attack on Monday targeting Saudi Arabia's east-west oil transport network connecting the kingdom's eastern oil fields to the Red Sea export hub at Yanbu, a strategic corridor that allows crude exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.