Explosions reported near Sanaa oil site after evacuation warning

The Saudi-led coalition urged civilians to leave an oil company site and nearby storage areas in western Sanaa on Tuesday ahead of a possible military operation, and explosions were reported in the area shortly afterward. Houthi-linked media said the coalition had struck the site, but the facilities hit and any damage were not immediately clear. The evacuation warning concerned the Yemen Petroleum Company’s al-Subaha Central Station. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said civilians should leave the site for their safety. An AFP correspondent reported hearing an explosion, while witnesses in Sanaa also reported explosions. Those accounts confirmed blasts in the area but did not establish which locations were struck. The Yemen Oil Company said its storage facilities were empty, according to a report carried by Houthi-linked media. The statement did not establish whether other nearby facilities, including a public fuel station, were affected. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned that an attack on Sanaa would be met with a firm and painful response in Riyadh. Houthi-linked reporting also described threats against Saudi oil facilities and Riyadh’s international airport.