In brief
A Saudi‑led strike on a fuel depot managed by Yemen’s Houthi forces has intensified the conflict surrounding the capital Sanaa. The attack followed warnings that the site was earmarked for the Houthi war effort, including support for missile and drone raids on Saudi Arabia. Residents fled to petrol stations as authorities urged evacuation, while the Yemen Petroleum Company insisted it holds no petroleum stock. In response, the Houthis threatened retaliation against Saudi airports and oil facilities. The latest blows come by day of recent strikes that killed civilians at King Khalid International Airport.
In a rapid escalation, the Saudi‑led coalition announced an air strike on the al‑Sabaha fuel depot, a Houthi‑controlled facility two kilometres from Sanaa’s eastern suburbs. The bombed site is accused of funneling supplies for the group’s missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets.
Maj‑Gen Turki al‑Maliki blamed the Houthis for using the depot to fuel their war effort, hinting the strike was a “special operation” after the coalition warned civilians to evacuate. In the days that followed, queues formed at petrol stations as Sanaa residents rushed to secure fuel amid growing fears of shortages.
Meanwhile, the Yemen Petroleum Company – run by the Houthis – issued a statement reassuring the public that the facility holds no petroleum products and that steps have been taken to maintain the supply chain. Nonetheless, many locals were uneasy, checking for updates on the grounding of the strike.
The assault follows a pattern of reciprocal strikes: Saudi air force missions have been dispatched to counter Houthi attacks on airports, oil pipelines and other infrastructure, while the Houthis have vowed to hit key Saudi sites such as Riyadh Airport and the Aramco refinery in Dammam. The latest air strikes in Riyadh on Friday killed at least thirteen people, compounding the cycle of violence.
Analysts warn the conflict’s spiralling nature threatens to widen beyond Yemen’s borders, risking destabilisation of the Gulf region’s critical oil routes. In an era of real‑time reporting, citizens are encouraged to share eyewitness photos and details on PulseWire’s live feed as the situation develops.
