The military coalition under Saudi Arabia that has intervened in the war in Yemen announced on Saturday that it had carried out airstrikes against Houthi rebels, who are continuing their offensive in the Marib area, the last government stronghold in the north of the country.
The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a Riyadh-based oil refinery, claiming responsibility by Houthi rebels.
It was the second major attack since early March on energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter.
At the same time, insurgents have advanced on the outskirts of Marib, occupying a mountain of strategic importance, in the latest sign of escalating conflict in Yemen, a war-torn country between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and pro-government forces supported by the coalition under Saudi Arabia.
The official Saudi news agency SPA released images of coalition strikes, saying they were aimed at “preventing Houthi paramilitaries from attempting to advance on Marib through Cassara”.
Kassara is one of the front lines northwest of Marib, a government stronghold 120 kilometers from the Hanai capital, which has been controlled by the Houthis since 2014, as well as much of the northern part of the country.
The coalition of forces under Saudi Arabia said it had managed to destroy Houthi rebel military equipment, mainly tanks, and inflict “heavy losses”.
The Houthi guerrillas rarely report casualties. However, the Al Masira television network, which is under their control, reported 38 air strikes in the Marib region.
For his part, a Yemeni government official told AFP that the coalition had struck at least 20 times.
“In the last 48 hours, at least 70 militants have been killed, 22 of them by government forces,” he added. The clashes began with the occupation of Mount Hilan by the Houthis on Friday.
“The guerrillas launched a fierce attack on Kasara, mainly with tanks, and this was repulsed thanks to the coalition air support,” the official also said.
“These attacks must stop”
After more than six years of war, Houthi rebels launched an offensive in early February to seize Marib.
Its loss would be a severe blow to the government and Riyadh, but also a threat to civilians, as at least one million displaced people have taken refuge in camps in the area.
Despite the recent advance of the Houthi rebels, analysts estimate that the city may not fall soon, given the strength of the coalition.
In the wake of the fighting in Marib, the Houthi rebels have stepped up their attacks on Saudi territory in recent weeks, despite efforts by the US government of President Joe Biden to resume peace talks.
The coalition announced on Saturday that it had intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aircraft carrying explosives over the city of Hamis Musait in southern Saudi Arabia, according to the SPA.
He also said that “all operational measures have been taken to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure against terrorist attacks”.
“These attacks must stop,” the European Union said in a statement, condemning the attack on the Saudi oil refinery.
“The current escalation in and around Yemen undermines the efforts of the UN special envoy (for Yemen Martin Griffiths), delays the prospect of a solution to the conflict and increases regional instability,” the EU said in a statement.
Russia has also “strongly condemned” the drone strike that set fire to a Saudi refinery, calling on “all those involved in the conflict to strictly respect international law and to immediately and completely renounce military operations in non-military areas.” .
The war has plunged Yemen into the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, according to the UN. It has killed tens of thousands of people, according to international NGOs, displaced millions more, and driven most of the population to the brink of starvation.
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