Saudi Arabia: Boat-borne IED attack causes fire off Jizan November 12

Event

A boat-borne IED attack reportedly set fire to a floating oil-distribution platform off the southern region of Jizan late on Thursday, November 12. Saudi officials announced that security forces had destroyed two remote-controlled boats belonging to Yemeni Houthi rebels near the platform and that the fire had since been extinguished. No casualties were reported.

Further cross-border attacks are possible, especially in areas close to the border with Yemen, over the near term.

Context

Yemen-based Houthi rebels have launched hundreds of rockets, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Saudi Arabia since 2015, when Saudi-led coalition forces intervened in the country's civil war in support of the Yemeni government. Towns and cities in the southwestern border provinces of Jizan, Asir, and Najran have frequently been targeted in such attacks, but longer-range ballistic missiles have also been launched towards Riyadh, Jeddah, and other major cities in the country. Many of these missiles, rockets, and UAVs have been intercepted by Saudi air defenses, but hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in such attacks since the beginning of the conflict.

Advice

Those in Saudi Arabia are advised to monitor developments and heed any directives issued by local authorities. Travelers should familiarise themselves with missile attack procedures in their particular area of operations and the location of the nearest air raid shelters. In the event of a missile attack, those in the affected area are advised to seek shelter, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities