U.S. Slams Huthi Attack on Saudi Refinery as Bid to 'Disrupt Global Energy Supplies'

The United States on Friday condemned the drone strike on a Saudi oil refinery claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels, calling it an attempt to "disrupt global energy supplies."

"We strongly condemn today's drone attacks against Saudi Aramco facilities," State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters of the dawn attack, the second major assault this month on Saudi energy installations.

"We condemn the Huthis' attempts to disrupt global energy supplies by targeting Saudi infrastructure," Porter added, saying the United States is "deeply concerned by the frequency of attacks on Saudi Arabia."

"This behavior shows an utter lack of concern for the safety of the civilian population either working or living near the sites," she said of the incident, which highlighted a dangerous escalation of Yemen's six-year conflict between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iran-linked Huthis.