First Medina Power Station, Now Saudi Oil Terminal: Why Are Muslim Nations Angry With Houthis?

UAE: Tension between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia seems to be increasing once again. After allegations of drone attack on the Taiba Power Station, which supplies electricity to the Prophet's Mosque i.e. Masjid-e-Nabawi in Medina, now initial reports have emerged of targeting Saudi Aramco's North Terminal in Yanbu Industrial Port. However, the alleged latest attack on the Yanbu oil terminal has yet to be independently confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has claimed that it has shot down two ballistic missiles and four drones fired towards the southern areas. These incidents have further escalated the already ongoing tensions in the Red Sea region.

Why is Yanbu Oil Terminal so important?

Yanbu is a major industrial and oil center located along the Red Sea on the western coast of Saudi Arabia. Aramco's North Terminal present here is considered an important infrastructure for Saudi Arabia's oil exports.

According to initial reports, this terminal is said to have the capacity to load around 1.5 million barrels of crude oil per day. Crude oil from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil fields can be transported to Yanbu through the East-West Pipeline. After this the oil is sent to international markets via the Red Sea.

This is why Yanbu can play the role of an alternative export route for Saudi Arabia in case of any obstruction in the Strait of Hormuz or other sea routes.

Was the Aramco terminal directly targeted?

Initial reports from Yanbu said there was an air strike and fire at Saudi Aramco's North Terminal. If this information is proven true in further investigation, the importance of the incident increases because the allegation is directly related to targeting the oil terminal located within the port.
However, this attack has not been independently confirmed yet. Therefore, it is too early to draw final conclusions regarding the damage caused to the terminal and the actual nature of the attack.

What happened at the power station in Medina?

Before the news of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia had accused a Houthi drone attack on a power station in Medina. According to Major General Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, after examining the debris of the drone, the coalition claimed that Houthi rebels were behind the attack.

It was told that this power station provides electricity to Masjid-e-Nabavi and surrounding civic facilities. According to the Saudi side, a transformer was shut down in the attack, but it did not affect the entire electricity system of Medina.

The Houthis have rejected this allegation. Therefore, it is important to look at the claims of both sides regarding responsibility for the attack separately.

Why did Muslim countries support Saudi Arabia?

After the allegations of attack on the power station of Medina, many Muslim countries issued statements in support of Saudi Arabia. The UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan condemned the incident. Turkey also reacted strongly to the attack.

Jassem Al-Budawi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said that the targeting of the station that supplies electricity to the Masjid-e-Nabawi is a matter of grave concern. The UAE described it as a threat to Saudi sovereignty and security, while Bahrain appealed to the UN Security Council to take a tough stance on the Houthi attacks.

Did Saudi Arabia also shoot down missiles and drones?

The Saudi-led coalition claimed to have intercepted two ballistic missiles and four drones fired in the direction of the southern regions. However, the status of independent verification of these claims is unclear in individual reports.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels remain under regional and international attention amid incidents related to the Medina Power Station and Yanbu Oil Terminal. At present, independent confirmation of the alleged attack on Yanbu Terminal is awaited.