Saudi-led coalition orders evacuation of oil facility before Sanaa operation

On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, ahead of an operation in Sanaa, the capital under Houthi control, the Saudi-led military coalition ordered civilians to evacuate the Al-Sabahah central station of the Yemen Petroleum Company on the outskirts of the city. Turki al-Maliki, the coalition's spokesman, published the warning along with a map of the site on X.

The Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic in Yemen, immediately threatened retaliation. Yahya Saree, the group's military spokesman, said any attack on Sanaa would meet a harsh response in Riyadh. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, told Agence France-Presse that America's entry into the war would be met with a swift response against American interests in the region, and urged staff at Saudi oil facilities and airports to leave, because, he said, these sites are legitimate targets.

Houthi attacks on Saudi airports

Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities, tankers and airports have intensified since the summer. Saturday's attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people, wounded hundreds and halted operations at the airport; Saudi officials put the death toll from recent attacks on the country's airports at 18. On Monday the coalition said it had intercepted one Houthi missile near Riyadh and two ballistic missiles near Khamis Mushait. Etihad and Gulf Air have cancelled their flights to Riyadh.

The US position and the economic fallout

US President Donald Trump called the attack on Riyadh airport unacceptable and said Washington is considering joining Saudi strikes against Houthi positions. The International Monetary Fund has forecast that Saudi Arabia's economy will shrink by 3.3 percent this year, and, citing the prolonged restrictions on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, has cut its forecast for the Middle East to a contraction of 0.3 percent. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 217,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the fighting escalated.

The Saudi-led coalition ordered the evacuation of the Al-Sabahah oil station ahead of an operation in Sanaa.