Yemen's Houthi movement said it fired a ballistic missile at the Ras Tanura crude oil refinery in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province on Tuesday, igniting a blaze that was later reported as contained.
The refinery, which processes 550,000 barrels per day and is a linchpin of Saudi energy output, has been targeted in a string of Houthi assaults since March, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intercept several missiles.
A resident of Al Khobar heard the explosion and had received a text alert from the city’s security system, saying, "We got the alert on the mobile and then heard a very loud bang."
Vanguard, the maritime security agency, confirmed that the fire was contained but did not yet disclose whether loading operations were halted or how the strike affected output.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions, with Egypt’s parliament authorising military support for Saudi Arabia and the Saudi‑led coalition having intercepted missiles heading toward Riyadh earlier that day.
Saudi officials have vowed to retaliate and are coordinating with allies to secure the refinery, while the United Nations monitors the situation for potential escalation.