Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed to have launched a combined ballistic missile and drone attack on a major Saudi Aramco oil refinery near Riyadh on Saturday, causing fires at the facility.

Footage from the scene showed flames and thick plumes of smoke rising from the refinery as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Neither Saudi authorities nor Aramco have issued an official statement regarding the cause of the fire.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the strike was carried out in retaliation for approximately 60 Saudi air raids launched over the past 24 hours against Houthi-controlled territories, including the capital, Sanaa.

Meanwhile, forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government announced a massive military offensive against Houthi positions.

Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, spokesman for the Yemeni military, confirmed on X that government forces executed 97 "precision operations" across the Al-Tawwahi front in Taiz province and the Al-Baha district in Lahij province. Utilizing aircraft, drones, artillery, missiles, and snipers, the operations neutralized at least 260 Houthi fighters and destroyed numerous military and supply vehicles.

The announcement followed earlier strikes by government-aligned forces targeting Houthi strongholds across Sanaa, Midi, Baqim, al-Jawf, Marib, Al Bayda, Lahij, and Taiz. Military officials claimed those combined air, artillery, and missile attacks resulted in more than 700 Houthi casualties.

The battlefield claims could not be independently verified.

Source: Al Jazeera