Riyadh /Sanaa, 11 August (H.S.):

The fire at Saudi Arabia’s national oil and gas company Saudi Aramco’s Jizan refinery, which was targeted by the Houthi movement, has been extinguished. However, the refinery’s management has extended the timeline for resuming operations, indicating that damage caused by Houthi (Ansar Allah) attacks in July and August continues to affect the facility.

Located in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the Jizan refinery has remained shut since July 27. The attacks triggered fires that damaged parts of its Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) complex and tank farm.

According to reports by the Yemen Press Agency (YPA) and Arab News, sources have suggested that August 30 is now the tentative date for the refinery to resume operations. The earlier target had reportedly been set for mid-August.

The Jizan refinery is strategically important to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector. It has a processing capacity of approximately 400,000 barrels per day and plays a significant role in supplying petroleum products to the domestic market.

The situation became more complicated following a statement issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy on Sunday. The ministry said Saudi Aramco’s Industrial Security Fire Fighting teams had successfully extinguished a fire at a facility within the Jizan refinery. However, it did not provide any information on when the refinery itself would resume operations, raising questions over the actual timeline for its restart.

The Houthis claimed responsibility on August 9 for an attack on the Jizan refinery. The group said the strike was carried out in response to Saudi drone attacks on Yemen’s Saada and Hajjah provinces.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, are a political and military movement rooted primarily among Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim community in the north of the country. The group has received support from Iran. The United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have designated the Houthis as a terrorist organisation.

Saudi Arabia has reiterated its appeal to the international community to adopt a firm position against the Houthi movement.

The reported attack came after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on Friday. The Jizan refinery traces its origins to an agreement with US companies in 1933 and was subsequently nationalised by the Saudi government during the 1980s.

Saudi Aramco remains one of the world's largest energy companies, with vast hydrocarbon reserves estimated at around 267 billion barrels.

Meanwhile, forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government claimed that Houthi fighters again launched ballistic missiles towards the Red Sea port city of Al-Mokha (Mocha), targeting port facilities. At least two Yemeni government soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack.

The Houthis have also reportedly launched drone attacks against government-held areas in Aden, Mocha and Shabwah, while forces supporting the Yemeni government have been responding to the attacks.

According to local media reports and social media posts by friends of those affected, a Houthi drone targeted a Shabwah Defence Forces position at Najd Marqad, near the border with Marib. Two soldiers were reportedly killed and several others injured.

Gunfire was also heard in the southern port city of Aden, which serves as the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Meanwhile, Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said in Riyadh on Monday that the time had come for a united response to the Iran-backed Houthi group. He described the situation as a fresh test of the international community’s commitment to maintaining peace in Yemen.

Al-Alimi made the remarks while addressing ambassadors in Riyadh from countries involved in efforts to advance Yemen’s peace process. These include Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. The United Nations continues to facilitate formal peace efforts through its Special Envoy for Yemen.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar