“These attacks, which threaten the security of Saudi Arabia and the stability of the region, must stop immediately,” added the spokeswoman for French diplomacy, Anne-Claire Legendre, pointing out “the seriousness of the threat (related with the) proliferation of drones and missiles”.
By targeting oil installations, the Houthis are trying to “touch the nerve of the global economy,” al-Maliki declared.
The Houthi rebels claimed a total of 16 attacks against various targets, including a power station in Jizan, on the border with Yemen, which was set on fire.
The attacks come against a backdrop of rising oil prices since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and global supplies have been disrupted as Russia is hit by Western sanctions.
On Friday, oil prices, down for most of the day, ended higher after Yemeni rebels claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, warned on Monday of the risk of a drop in its production after several attacks that occurred days before claimed by the Houthis.
One of them targeted an Aramco refinery in the Red Sea industrial city of Yanbu, some 100km north of Jeddah, forcing the company to “temporarily” cut output and draw on inventory to compensate.