Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it would not incur responsibility for any shortage in global oil supplies due to continued attacks on its oil facilities by Houthi militants operating in Yemen.
Over the past three years, there have been sporadic attacks on Saudi oil facilities by Houthi militants who oppose the kingdom's involvement in the conflict in Yemen.
The Saudi foreign ministry said “The Kingdom stresses the importance of the international community realizing the gravity of Iran’s continued behavior of equipping the terrorist Houthi militias with the technology of the ballistic missiles, and advanced UAVs with which they target the Kingdom’s production sites of oil, gas and refined products, resulting in serious consequences for upstream and downstream sectors affecting the Kingdom’s production capability and its ability to fulfill its commitments, undermining without a doubt, the security and sustainability of energy supplies to global markets.”
The Saudi statement highlighted the “importance of the International community undertaking its responsibility to preserve the energy supplies and stand firm against the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militias, deterring their malicious attacks that represents direct threat to the security of oil supplies in these extremely sensitive circumstances witnessed by the global energy markets”.
The announcement comes amid volatility in international oil prices on account of the conflict in Ukraine and multiple attacks on Saudi facilities since the weekend.
Brent Crude prices rose by over $3 dollar on Monday, taking the price of one barrel to $111.33.
Al Arabiya reported “On Sunday, a distribution plant for Aramco products was attacked by Houthis, causing a limited fire. The Houthis also carried out missile and drone attacks on an Aramco facility in Jizan. …One targeted an Aramco petroleum distribution plant in Jeddah, causing a fire but no injuries or casualties… the Arab Coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen reported the destruction of an explosive-laden boat in Hodeidah, and the thwarting of an imminent attack targeting the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. State television al-Ekhbariya cited the coalition as saying it had intercepted and destroyed three drones that targeted economic facilities. The coalition also foiled an attack on an Aramco Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in the Saudi city of Yanbu.”
