Houthis Say They Prevented Tanker From ‘Looting’ Yemeni Oil After Drone Attack

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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have claimed responsibility for a drone attack that targeted al-Dabba oil terminal in the eastern Yemen province of Hadhramaut on November 21.

A suicide drone targeted the oil terminal, which is held by Saudi-led coalition proxies, while a tanker was docked there to load a shipment of oil. No casualties or material losses were reported as a result of the attack.

Brig. Gen. Yahya al-Sari’, a spokesman for the Houthis, said in a statement that the drone attack forced the tanker to leave the terminal, thus foiling an attempt to “loot” large quantities of Yemeni oil. According to the spokesman, a warning was given to the tanker before. However, it was ignored.

“The Yemeni armed forces will continue to protect the sovereign national wealth so that its revenues can be put to the service of Yemenis by covering the salaries of all employees in all Yemeni regions,” the spokesman said.

Before the end of the UN-sponsored ceasefire in Yemen on October 2, the Houthis demanded the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to pay the salaries of state employees in their areas of influence from the national oil revenue. The Aden-based government refused. In response, the group warned it will take action.

This was the third such “warning” attack by the Houthis. The group claimed responsibility for a drone attack that targeted al-Dabba oil terminal on October 23. According to the group, the attack was just a “limited warning” meant to prevent the “theft” of Yemeni crude oil. Later on November 9, the Houthis attacked a tanker docked at al-Qna oil port in the central province of Shabwah. This time, the group said that it had foiled an attempt to “smuggle” Yemeni oil.

The Houthis de-facto blockade on Saudi-controlled oil ports in Yemen will likely continue until their demand with regard to sharing the national oil revenue is met.

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