Saudi Arabia tells UN that Yemen’s Houthis to blame for attack on Aramco

Saudi Arabia told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday that the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen was responsible for the attack on a Saudi Aramco petroleum products distribution station in Jeddah.

“Upon instructions from my government, I am writing in regards to the terrorist attack on one of the oil derivatives distribution station in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It has been identified that the Houthi militia backed by Iran is responsible for this terrorist attack,” Saudi UN Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi wrote in a letter to the UNSC.

A Saudi Ministry of Energy official had said on Monday that an explosion led to fire breaking out in a fuel tank at a station in Northern Jeddah. The fire was extinguished and there were no injuries or casualties due to the attack.

The Arab Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki said a projectile launched by the Houthis was the cause.

On Tuesday, an Aramco official said one of the 13 tanks used for diesel oil, gasoline and jet fuel at Aramco’s North Jeddah Bulk Plant is currently out of action.

Al-Mouallimi said in his letter to the UNSC: “The continuation of terrorist actions towards Saudi Arabia and the people of Yemen by this militia, proves its radical ideology that aims to jeopardize the efforts of the UN to reach a political comprehensive solution in Yemen, and to raise regional and international tensions.”

The Saudi ambassador added that the Kingdom urged the UNSC to “shoulder its responsibility and to stop the threat of this militia to the global energy security, the UN political process in Yemen and to regional security.”

“Saudi Arabia will spare no efforts to protect its territories and citizens from such terrorist attacks in accordance with its obligations under international law.”

Saudi Arabia has been targeted with dozens of ballistic missile and drone attacks since the start of last year, including a devastating strike on Aramco's facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais which temporarily knocked out half the kingdom's crude output.

The strike was claimed by the Houthis, but the United States said it involved cruise missiles from Iran.