Yemeni forces strike Sanaa as Aramco fire claimed
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces said Sunday they hit “vital” Houthi targets in Sanaa and Saada. Houthi media claimed an Aramco facility attack near Riyadh after AFP filmed flames there. Civilians in Taiz already face rising hunger and displacement as the fight widens.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces said early Sunday they delivered “painful strikes” on “vital” Houthi targets in the rebel-held capital Sanaa and the northern stronghold of Saada, The National reported. Armed forces spokesman Col. Majed Abdullah Al Nuzaili, speaking on Saudi state television, vowed the militia’s capabilities “will not be safe.”
Hours earlier, Houthi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed ballistic missiles and drones hit an Aramco facility south of Riyadh and “successfully achieved” their aim. An AFP journalist saw flames, smoke, fire engines, ambulances, and police near the site. The Saudi-led coalition called the Houthi claim “misleading,” and Riyadh had not confirmed an attack; Aramco did not comment on the cause. CGTN and Houthi-run Masirah TV separately described loud explosions and Saudi airstrikes over Sanaa Saturday night; a resident told Xinhua the ground shook “like an earthquake.”
On the ground, Al Nuzaili said government forces ran 97 “precision” operations around Taiz and Lahij and earlier claimed hundreds of Houthi fighters killed—claims that could not be independently verified. The World Food Programme said Friday that 74% of households in accessible Taiz areas cannot meet basic food needs, the highest level this year, as fighting drives prices up and cuts aid routes.
The escalation lands beside Camp David debate over whether Washington will join Saudi-requested Houthi airstrikes. For Gulf drivers and shippers, another Aramco scare and Red Sea risk feed diesel already priced off the Iran war. Engage: coalition and Houthi statements, WFP Taiz updates, and any independent Aramco damage assessment.
What we know:
Yemeni government forces claimed Sanaa/Saada strikes; AFP filmed an Aramco-area fire; Houthis claimed credit; the coalition called that claim misleading; WFP reports deepening Taiz hunger.
What we don’t:
Independent confirmation of who caused the Riyadh fire, verified casualty tallies from either side’s Sunday claims, or how far Saudi airstrikes will expand.
Where outlets agree The National, CGTN, and Al Jazeera agree fighting around Sanaa intensified Sunday with Yemeni government strike claims and a photographed Aramco-area fire near Riyadh.
Where they differ Houthis claim credit for an Aramco missile and drone attack while the Saudi-led coalition calls that claim misleading and has not confirmed an attack.