Houthis claim strike on Saudi Ras Tanura refinery; coalition says it intercepted missiles

Yemen's Houthis said they fired ballistic missiles and a drone at targets in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, 27 October 2026. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two ballistic missiles fired toward Riyadh. It also said it intercepted three missiles fired toward the Eastern Province.

The Houthis claimed a ballistic missile attack on an oil refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia. The attacks came a day after Egypt's parliament decided to authorise defensive military support for Saudi Arabia.

According to Daily Sabah, the coalition said the Houthis also launched four drones toward the Southern Region, and that it intercepted the wave. Daily Sabah also reported that Saudi Civil Defense issued early warnings for the Eastern Region and Kharj governorate, and later said the danger had passed.

According to The Hindu, explosions echoed across Riyadh and shook office windows in the city centre. A text alert warned residents to seek shelter. A resident of Al Khobar, south of Ras Tanura, told AFP he heard explosions around dawn. "We got the alert on the mobile and then heard a very loud bang," he said, as quoted by The Hindu.

Maritime security agency Vanguard said a fire was reported in the Ras Tanura area after an attack. "The fire has reportedly been contained, while the extent of damage and any impact on oil-loading operations remain unclear at current," Vanguard said, according to The Hindu. The complex has a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, The Hindu reported.

According to Daily Sabah, the coalition announced strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. It said it destroyed missile launchers, storage tunnels and a missile depot.

Egypt's parliament acted on Monday, 26 October, at the request of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to The Hindu. The paper said it was unclear what support Egypt was offering. The same day, Saudi Arabia's defence minister, Pakistan's army chief and Turkey's intelligence chief visited Tehran to try to de-escalate tensions, The Hindu reported.

The Hindu reported that Yemen's largely dormant conflict reignited in July, months into the war between the United States and Iran. According to the paper, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began hitting its ships, territory and oil facilities, before seizing areas along Yemen's Red Sea coast in September. According to Daily Sabah, the renewed fighting has ended a 2022 UN-brokered truce.

What is disputed

It is unclear whether missiles reached Ras Tanura. The coalition said it intercepted the missiles fired toward the Eastern Province. The Houthis said their strike caused "massive fires". Vanguard said the extent of damage was unclear. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any statement from Saudi authorities or Saudi Aramco on damage. They do not describe any casualties.

What each side says

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X: "The Yemeni Armed Forces were able to target the Ras Tanura refinery in the Eastern Province with a ballistic missile," according to The Hindu. Le Monde reported that the Houthis said they also attacked the Saudi defence ministry.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, of the group's political bureau, called Egypt's decision a declaration of war against Yemen. He said the group is "not afraid of any alliance that may be formed", The Hindu reported.

Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said the strikes aim to dismantle the Houthis' ballistic missile network and disrupt supply routes, according to Daily Sabah.

Analysis

Egypt's authorisation brings another state into Saudi Arabia's defence. According to The Hindu, Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad recently signed a defence pact pledging to treat an attack on one as an attack on all three, but Turkey and Pakistan have not announced any strikes on the Houthis. The practical meaning of Egypt's step is unclear, as the reports do not specify what support Egypt would provide. The Houthi response frames it as escalation, while diplomacy in Tehran ran in parallel. One scenario is wider regional involvement; another is that mediation efforts slow the fighting. The disputed status of Ras Tanura matters for energy markets, but without statements from Saudi authorities or Aramco, the extent of any damage cannot be assessed from the available accounts.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.