The commander of Yemen's 3rd Military Region, Major General Mansour Thawaba, has vowed a swift and decisive response to the recent Houthi attack on the vital Safer oil facility in Marib Governorate.

Speaking during a visit to the facility on Saturday, August 24, 2024, General Thawaba condemned the attack, stating that the Houthi militia's targeting of the facility, a crucial source of oil and gas production, is a "familiar escalation from a group that has embraced destruction and devastation of Yemen's infrastructure and resources."

He emphasized that the Houthi group, internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, has no agenda other than "destruction, murder, demolition, sabotage, and impoverishing and starving Yemenis."

General Thawaba stressed that restoring security and stability in Yemen hinges on the eradication of this "criminal group" whose crimes continue to escalate.

The Houthi attack on the Safer facility, which occurred early Friday morning, involved three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) loaded with explosives. The Yemeni army successfully thwarted the attack, preventing significant damage to the facility.

The attack comes after a Houthi leader in May threatened to target oil facilities in Marib and halt oil extraction from Safer fields, mirroring their actions in Shabwa and Hadhramaut governorates. This threat followed the Houthi declaration of their "fourth phase" of escalation against Israeli ships.

The Yemeni military has repeatedly accused the Houthis of targeting civilian infrastructure and economic assets, hindering the country's recovery and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The latest attack on the Safer facility further highlights the Houthi group's disregard for civilian life and their determination to destabilize Yemen.