Sanaa: Al-Sabaha oil station hit after Saudi-led coalition's evacuation order

Hours after the Saudi-led coalition issued an order on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, to evacuate the Yemen Petroleum Company's main station in the Al-Sabaha area of Sanaa, explosions were heard in the city. This report follows DIAR's earlier report on the evacuation order. Media affiliated with the Houthis, the Islamic Republic's proxy group, said Saudi-backed air strikes had targeted an oil facility in Al-Sabaha.

According to reporters in Yemen, Saudi Arabia also targeted the oil tanks at the port of Ras Isa and an oil station in Hodeidah province. As of this hour, no figures on damage or casualties from the strikes have been released, and Riyadh has not officially confirmed carrying out an attack on Sanaa. On Tuesday, the Saudi cabinet said the Houthis would face the "consequences" of their attacks on the country.

Houthis threaten to strike Aramco and Riyadh airport

Yahya Saree, the Houthis' military spokesman, called Aramco's oil facilities a "legitimate target" and said that if Sanaa were attacked, they would deliver a "harsh and painful" response in Riyadh. He named Aramco's headquarters in Dammam, Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco-affiliated refinery in Riyadh as targets, and warned staff, citizens and airlines not to use Saudi airports and airspace. At the time of writing, no retaliatory attack had been reported.

Jasem Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, called the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia "terrorist and brutal" and said Saudi Arabia's security is inseparable from that of the other member states. The Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen in Aden also declared spying for, financing, and cooperating with the Houthis to be crimes.

Background to the fighting

The Houthi attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh on 10 October left at least 13 people dead, including a US citizen. Donald Trump then said Washington was considering joining Saudi Arabia's military operations against the Houthis. On 9 October, forces of Yemen's internationally recognised government had announced full control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Mayun Island.

After issuing an evacuation order, the Saudi coalition struck Houthi oil facilities in Sanaa and Hodeidah, and the Houthis threatened to attack Riyadh.