Kathmandu— A fire that erupted at a state-owned oil giant Aramco facility in Jizan, Saudi Arabia, has been extinguished, according to the Saudi Energy Ministry. The blaze began early Sunday at the site located in the coastal city of Jizan, with no casualties reported. While authorities were completing procedures to address the incident, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging it was a response to Saudi airspace violations.

Houthi Claim and Alleged Motive

Yemen’s Houthi rebels asserted they successfully targeted the Aramco refinery in Jizan using a drone strike, claiming precision in their attack. Military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on X that the action was retaliation for Saudi Arabia's alleged breach of airspace over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah with drones. Riyadh has not yet issued a comment regarding the claim.

Recent Attacks and Operational Impact

This incident follows previous attacks claimed by the Houthis targeting Saudi oil facilities, including claims last month of strikes on Aramco sites in Jizan and Yanbu. Despite these recent disruptions, Aramco chief Amin Nasser stated last week that operations could be quickly restored, adding that there had been no material operational or financial impact from the attacks.

Regional Tensions and Truce Strain

The attacks are exacerbating existing tensions surrounding a 2022 truce in the war between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. Last month, the Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, threatening shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Additionally, later Sunday, the group claimed an attack on Saudi troops and equipment in Yemen's Red Sea coast city of al-Makha using ballistic missiles and drones.

Saudi Alliances Amid Rising Concerns

Amidst escalating regional tensions linked to the US-Israel war, Saudi Arabia recently signed a defense pact with Turkiye and Pakistan on Friday. Riyadh has also attributed attacks on its oil facilities to Iran-aligned armed groups operating in Iraq.

The situation remains fluid as investigations continue into the cause of the fire and further responses from Saudi authorities are awaited.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.