Saudi Strike Hits Houthi Oil Facility in Sanaa, Yemen

Saudi warplanes struck a Houthi-controlled oil facility in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, on Tuesday. The attack came shortly after the Saudi-led coalition ordered civilians to evacuate the site ahead of a military operation. Explosions were reported at the facility, and details remain preliminary.

According to the Associated Press and Anadolu news agency, the coalition targeted the al-Sabaha district in western Sanaa, where the Yemeni Oil Company operates a central facility. Houthi-affiliated media confirmed the facility was hit, though the extent of damage remains unclear.

Earlier Tuesday, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki published a map marking the compound and ordered civilians to evacuate ahead of military action. A Yemeni government official confirmed coalition aircraft struck Houthi targets in the capital.

A Houthi spokesperson warned that any Saudi attack on the city would draw a "harsh" response.

The Iran-backed Houthis also declared Saudi Aramco oil facilities legitimate targets on Tuesday. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree called on employees and civilians to evacuate those sites and urged anyone near Saudi oil facilities to stay clear of all potential targets.

On Monday, Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told AFP the group would deliver a "swift and painful response" against the United States and its regional interests if Washington joined Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen.

The escalation follows two Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport. Saturday's strike killed 13 people and injured more than 300. A second attack on Sunday killed one person and injured nearly a dozen.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call on Tuesday that Turkey would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia, the Turkish presidency said. Erdogan condemned the Houthi attacks in the strongest terms and said he believed "this challenge will be overcome." Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August, under which an attack on one party counts as an attack on all.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been working through US mediators to secure Saudi permission for Israeli strikes on the Houthis. For travelers, the US State Department has raised its Saudi Arabia travel advisory to Level 3, "Reconsider Travel," and Etihad Airways has canceled flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until October 19.