Saudi Arabia ‘not responsible for any oil shortage’ after Houthi attacks
A fuel pump assistant stands next to an old fuel pump during the early hours near the village of Salwa at the Qatari-Saudi border, south of the eastern province of Khobar, Saudi Arabia January 29, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS
Saudi Arabia said it would not bear responsibility for any shortages in oil supplies to global markets in light after recent attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi oil facilities, Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported on Monday.
The Houthis fired missiles and drones at Saudi energy and water desalination facilities, causing a temporary drop in output at a refinery but no casualties, the Saudi energy ministry and state media said on Sunday.
Strikes hit a petroleum products distribution terminal, a natural gas plant and a refinery along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, the ministry said in a statement.
Also read: Yemen's Houthis claim drone attack on refinery in Saudi capital
Attacks using drone or ballistic missiles "will affect the kingdom's production capacity and its ability to fulfil its obligations, which undoubtedly threatens the security and stability of energy supplies to global markets," SPA reported, quoting an unnamed source at the foreign ministry.
Saudi Arabia has struggled to extricate itself from the war in Yemen which has killed tens of thousands and left millions of people there facing starvation. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have also endangered the kingdom's airports, oil facilities and caused some civilian deaths.