Yemen's Houthi rebels launch drone attacks on world's largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia

Highlights:

• The world’s largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia was attacked by a number of drones.
• Saudi Arabia shuts down half its oil production after attacks.
• The closure will impact almost five million barrels of crude production a day, about 5% of the world’s daily oil production.
• Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Drones attacked the world’s largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia and an oilfield operated by Saudi Aramco early Saturday, the kingdom’s Interior Ministry said, sparking a huge fire at a processor crucial to global energy supplies.

A military spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the strikes. Reportedly, the Houthi rebels sent 10 drones to attack the Abqaiq oil processing facility and the Khurais oil field. The spokesperson said attacks against the kingdom of Saudi Arabia would get worse if the war in Yemen continued.

This is not the first time Houthi rebels have attacked Saudi oil facilities. Earlier this year, Yemeni rebels attacked a Saudi pipeline. Previously, Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacking an Aramco site with drones. This drone attack over the weekend is one of the most dramatic strikes on the kingdom since the war in Yemen began four and a half years ago.

News outlets are reporting that the drone attack has caused Saudi Arabia to shut down half of its oil production at world’s largest oil processing facility. The closure will impact almost five million barrels of crude production a day, about 5% of the world’s daily oil production.