U.S. commits to Saudi defence after Houthi attacks on oil heartland
Source: Reuters
EMERGING MARKETS
MARCH 8, 2021 8:08 AM UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
U.S. commits to Saudi defence after Houthi attacks on oil heartland
DUBAI (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it is committed to defending Saudi Arabia following drone and missile strikes claimed by Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi movement, including on a Saudi facility vital to oil exports.
Saudi authorities said there were no casualties or property losses from Sundays attacks targeting an oil storage yard at Ras Tanura, site of a refinery and the worlds biggest offshore oil loading facility, and a residential compound in Dhahran used by state-controlled oil giant Saudi Aramco.
The attacks, which drove Brent crude prices above $70 a barrel to their highest since January 2020, come at a time of friction in the decades-old alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United States as President Joe Biden puts pressure on Riyadh over its human rights record and the ruinous Yemen war.
The heinous Houthi assaults on civilians and vital infrastructure demonstrate lack of respect for human life and disregard for peace efforts, the U.S. embassy in the kingdom said in an Arabic-language Twitter post.
The United States stands by Saudi Arabia and its people. Our commitment to defend the Kingdom and its security is firm.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi/u-s-commits-to-saudi-defence-after-houthi-attacks-on-oil-heartland-idUSKBN2B01CM