Houthis Claim Strike on Saudi Ras Tanura Refinery

Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed on October 27 that it struck Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery with a ballistic missile, but Saudi authorities did not confirm a hit on the facility. The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the attack caused a fire. A fire near the terminal was reported as contained, but its cause has not been established. Ras Tanura, on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast, is a major refinery and oil export terminal. Its refining capacity is about 550,000 barrels per day. The reported fire is distinct from confirmation of the Houthis’ missile claim: the information about containment came from a person familiar with the matter, and did not establish that a missile struck the facility. Whether oil-loading operations were affected was also unclear. Separately, Saudi authorities said air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh. Saudi Civil Defence reported that falling debris damaged a building, a construction site and a vehicle in the capital. Explosions were heard in Riyadh, and authorities briefly issued an air-raid alert. Those reports provide context for missile activity but do not verify the claimed strike on Ras Tanura. The...