Houthi rebels target Saudi oil facility with Scud missile

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a Scud missile to target a oil facility near the port city of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.

The missile was fired from Sa'Dah province, a stronghold of the Houthis in Yemen.

A website associated with the Houthi rebels' media-wing published a video to confirm its claim that Scud-type missile struck its Saudi oil refinery target near the port city of Yanbu on Saturday, CNN reported.

The Kingdom did not make a comment on the missile but Saudi state news agency reported on Sunday that an electrical transformer located at the gate of the Samref refinery caught fire as a result of the high weather temperature, adding that the fire did not result in any human loss.

In April, Defense Jim Mattis has accused Iran of providing support to Houthis rebels with arms, including missiles.

"We see Iranian-supplied missiles being fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia," Mattis told.

The US has announced fresh sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and support for terror organisations.

The U.S. State and Treasury Departments have designated 18 entities and individuals under this latest round of sanctions for their support of Iran's military procurement for its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Two of the entities were designated by the State Department "for engaging, or attempting to engage, in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

The 16 entities and individuals sanctioned by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control included "an Iran-based transnational criminal organization and three associated persons," as well as companies and businessmen involved in military technology procurement, the Treasury Department said in a statement.

-ANI