Houthis say they attacked Saudi pipeline, Yanbu oil facility and Aramco target in Riyadh

Yemen's Houthis said on Thursday, 12 November 2026, that they had attacked three Saudi oil targets: a pumping station on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, an oil facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, and a Saudi Aramco target in Riyadh. The Hindu and Reuters both carried the claims. Reuters describes the Riyadh target as an Aramco building.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not independently confirm that any site was struck or damaged. They do not describe any casualties. They also do not include a Saudi government or Aramco response specifically addressing Thursday's claims.

The Houthi claims

According to The Hindu, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree announced the operations in a post on X. The Hindu quoted him as saying the group "targeted Pumping Station No. 7 on the East-West Pipeline using a drone" and "targeted the Yanbu oil facility using a ballistic missile". The Hindu reported that Saree called both attacks successful, as well as two other attacks on a Saudi airport and an airbase near the Yemeni border. The reports do not name the airport or the airbase. There were no immediate reports of damage from the claimed drone attack on Aramco in Riyadh, according to The Hindu.

Coalition interceptions

According to The Hindu, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a drone in the Riyadh area on Thursday night. It said it intercepted one drone in the Riyadh region and another in eastern Saudi Arabia on Thursday morning. It said that on Wednesday night, 11 November, it destroyed two ballistic missiles targeting western Saudi Arabia, plus two drones in the south and around Mecca. The Saudi civil defence said missile debris fell in the village of Sabouha, about 35 km from Mecca, The Hindu reported.

The Hindu said it was unclear whether the intercepted projectiles were the ones the Houthis said they launched.

Background

The East-West pipeline ends at Yanbu. According to The Hindu, the pipeline has become increasingly important for Saudi oil exports since Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz at the outset of what the newspaper calls the West Asia war. The Hindu reports that the Houthis have repeatedly targeted the pipeline.

On Monday, 9 November, Saudi Arabia said an attack on the pipeline had sparked a fire but had not affected operations, according to The Hindu. On Sunday, 8 November, an Aramco skyscraper was hit by what authorities described as falling shrapnel from an "attempted attack", the newspaper reported.

What each side says

• Houthis: Their forces hit a pipeline pumping station, the Yanbu facility and Aramco in Riyadh. The group has repeatedly denied targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, according to The Hindu.
• Saudi-led coalition: It intercepted or destroyed multiple drones and ballistic missiles over several regions between 11 and 12 November.

Analysis

The claims centre on the East-West pipeline and Yanbu, a route that, according to The Hindu, has gained importance for Saudi exports since the Strait of Hormuz was blockaded. If attacks on this route were to cause lasting damage, they could affect regional oil flows; so far, the reports reviewed by Vocemundi describe no such effect. Key open questions are whether any of the claimed strikes landed, whether the intercepted projectiles match the Houthi claims, and how Saudi authorities and Aramco will respond. The pattern of claims and interceptions may continue, but its scale and impact remain unverified.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.