Sources from Sanaa reported airstrikes on the Sabaha oil station belonging to the Houthi militia on Tuesday, following a request by the Saudi-led military coalition to evacuate the Yemen Oil Company site and the central Sabaha station, in preparation for a military operation.
The news of the airstrikes coincided with the coalition's announcement of intercepting and destroying three drones north of Riyadh, as confirmed by the official spokesman for the Coalition Forces to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, Major General Turki Al-Malki, who called on civilians to evacuate the specified site on the explanatory map to ensure their safety.
In response, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that the militia forces are confronting what he described as "enemy formations" targeting Sanaa, warning that any attack on the capital will be met with a "harsh and painful" response in Riyadh.
The militia's threats extended to Saudi facilities, as Saree called on workers and citizens near Aramco facilities to evacuate them and demanded the evacuation of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, renewing his warnings to airlines about the airspace and airports previously announced.
He also threatened to target the sites that the militia had demanded to be evacuated if Sanaa was attacked.
In a separate field development, media outlets affiliated with the militia reported two airstrikes on the Bani Ma'in and Bakil areas in the Razih district of Saada Governorate.
On the diplomatic front, the Turkish presidency announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed Turkey's support for Saudi Arabia and condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi territory during a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia urged US citizens to reconsider travel to the Kingdom due to the risks of targeting US interests.
The escalation comes after the coalition announced on Monday the interception of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait, amid ongoing tensions affecting vital facilities and air traffic in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation had previously announced the extension of the suspension of operational activities at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
In the background of the escalation, the Houthi militia announced in July last year the imposition of a maritime navigation ban on Saudi Arabia, while reports in the same month indicated that Iran had asked the militia to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if the United States launched an attack on Iran's electricity infrastructure.
