Saudi-led coalition orders evacuation of Yemen oil facility in Sanaa ahead of operation

A Saudi-led coalition urged civilians on Tuesday to evacuate the Yemen Oil ‌Company's Sabah central station in the capital Sanaa ahead of a planned military operation. A statement from the coalition's joint forces command identified the site on a ‌map and said civilians should leave the area for their own ‌safety.

A military spokesperson for Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, Yahya Saree, warned that any strikes on Sanaa would be met with a "harsh and painful" response in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The ⁠Houthis ​also warned employees ⁠and civilians near Saudi Aramco oil facilities to evacuate and stay away, saying the facilities ⁠were legitimate targets for their forces.

Fighting has escalated between the Saudi-led coalition ​and the Houthis, who have been attacking Saudi airports and oil facilities ⁠since last week in a spillover from the wider regional conflagration between the US and ⁠Iran. Saudi ​Arabia has in recent weeks launched strikes against the Houthis and is backing a Yemeni government counteroffensive after the group seized strategic ⁠territory along the Red Sea coast last month.

The conflict has disrupted air travel ⁠in Saudi ⁠Arabia, with Riyadh airport remaining closed after a deadly missile strike on Saturday claimed by the Houthis.