Houthi forces fired dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Saudi Aramco's Jizan refinery and Yanbu export terminal overnight Jul 24-25, the first direct strike on Saudi oil infrastructure in the current crisis window (CONFIRMED, per Reuters sourcing and official statements). A Patriot battery intercepted two incoming ballistic missiles at Yanbu (CONFIRMED). At Jizan, NASA FIRMS satellite data detected a fire/thermal anomaly, confirming a fire occurred (CONFIRMED, Tier 1 sensor data); Asia-based trading sources told Reuters there was "some damage" at the site (ASSESSED, single-sourced, not independently verified). A Houthi military spokesman claimed a "successful hit" (Houthi claim only, unverified). Saudi Arabia has issued no official damage assessment or casualty count as of Jul 26.

Saudi Arabia's Coalition Joint Forces Command confirmed a "firm, resolute, and proportionate" retaliatory strike against Houthi targets Jul 25, with an explicit warning of further response "without leniency" (CONFIRMED, official statement). This is the second Saudi-Houthi exchange in 48 hours, following the first Saudi strike on Houthi sites in Hodeidah governorate late Jul 24. Until now, Houthi action under the Jul 20 Bab el-Mandeb blockade had targeted Saudi-flagged tankers only; oil infrastructure is a new target category.

Watch Yanbu closely: it is the Red Sea terminus of the East-West Pipeline, Saudi Arabia's primary Hormuz-bypass route, and the one route left once the Houthi threat to Bab el-Mandeb hardened. Confirmed damage to loading capacity there would raise the stakes materially. Brent settled $96.78/bbl Jul 24, down 3.9% (CONFIRMED), before this attack; Monday's Asia open is the first genuine price test.