Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they launched attacks on an oil facility and a strategic Red Sea port in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, marking the latest escalation in fighting threatening key energy and shipping routes across the Middle East.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted an Aramco refinery in the southwestern Saudi city of Jazan using a drone.

Saree said the attack was carried out in retaliation for what the Houthis described as Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace over the provinces of Hajjah and Saada.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry earlier reported a fire at a facility belonging to the Aramco refinery. Authorities said the blaze was extinguished and no casualties were reported, but did not immediately disclose what caused the fire.

The Houthis also targeted a crucial Saudi port on the Red Sea on Sunday, according to a Yemeni government official.

The latest attacks follow a series of Houthi missile and drone operations targeting Saudi territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, raising concerns about the security of one of the world’s most important maritime trade corridors.

The escalation comes as tensions remain high elsewhere in the region.

Iran has reportedly presented new demands concerning the resumption of negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, another strategically vital waterway for global energy supplies.

At the same time, the Pentagon is pressing U.S. defense manufacturers to accelerate weapons production amid concerns about military stockpiles as the regional conflict continues.

The simultaneous tensions surrounding the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz have intensified fears of further disruptions to international shipping and global energy markets.

Sunday’s developments underscore the growing risk that continued fighting involving Iran and its regional allies could broaden the conflict and place additional pressure on critical maritime routes across the Middle East.