Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced on the 16th local time that they carried out large-scale missile and drone attacks on Saudi Aramco's oil facilities in Yanbu and the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait.

In an official statement released that day, the Houthi movement claimed, "We have successfully executed two high-intensity military operations in response to unjust aggression."

According to the statement, the first operation mobilized dozens of ballistic missiles and suicide drones to precisely strike Saudi state-run oil company Aramco's facilities in Yanbu.

The rebels claimed, "Direct hits caused massive fires and widespread destruction."

Yanbu serves as an alternative export port through which Saudi Arabia ships crude oil sent via its East-West pipeline following Iran's blockades of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis claimed that in their second operation, they fired multiple ballistic missiles to accurately hit the Khamis Mushait Air Base.

The Houthi rebels emphasized that the attacks were a legitimate retaliatory measure against the indiscriminate airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition.

The statement condemned the actions, saying, "The criminal Saudi enemies have continued their unjust aggression and harsh blockade against Yemen and our people for 12 years. Especially this week, they escalated hostile acts by launching over 450 airstrikes targeting most of Yemen's provinces."

They also warned that they would not stop attacks targeting the Saudi mainland.

The rebels threatened, "To defend our state and people, we will teach the criminal Saudis a lesson they will never forget. We will maintain our formula of 'blockade for blockade' and 'escalation for escalation' and continue military operations deep inside Saudi territory until Saudi aggression stops and the blockade on Yemen is completely lifted."

Earlier that day, the Houthi rebels also claimed to have shot down a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jet over Marib Governorate in northeastern Yemen, though they have not yet presented evidence such as photos or videos.

(Photo: Capture from Hong Kong SCMP, Yonhap News)