Saudi-led coalition strikes oil facility near Sanaa, Houthis report

The Al-Sabaha oil station near Sanaa came under attack in what marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen's Houthi rebels. Houthi media sources confirmed the strike on the facility, which sits in territory controlled by the Iranian-backed group.

The Saudi-led coalition had issued prior warnings calling for civilians to evacuate the area around the Al-Sabaha station before conducting the operation. Such advance notices are typically issued in conflict zones to minimise civilian casualties, though they also alert targeted parties to the impending strikes.

The attack adds to a pattern of coalition military operations targeting infrastructure in Houthi-held areas of Yemen. Oil and energy facilities have been frequent targets throughout the seven-year conflict, with both sides accusing each other of endangering civilian populations through their military campaigns.

Yemen's humanitarian crisis has deepened amid the ongoing conflict, with damage to critical infrastructure affecting the country's already fragile economy and civilian access to essential services. The international community has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and resumption of peace talks between the warring parties.