Military operation to Protect Oil Facilities in Yemen's Marib Expected to Begin

The military forces are determined to secure oil facilities, oil and gas pipelines, and the international road in Marib, even if it carries out a special military operation, a source in the Yemeni government's army told Sheba Intelligence on Sunday.

The military source stated, "The army will help the security apparatuses and local authorities in Marib pursue subversive gangs against whom judicial rulings have been issued for murders and targeting public interests. Therefore, a military operation is not ruled out."

The source accused the Houthi group of inflaming the situation in Marib by exploiting the government's decision to raise the price of fuel, bringing in fighters and weapons to blow up the situation, and carrying out criminal acts, including attempts to assassinate military, security, and executive leaders in Marib Governorate.

Meanwhile, sources within the Houthi group told Sheba Intelligence that the military leader, Abu Ali Al-Hakim, visited the group's camps in Al-Jawf Governorate and is participating in planning to advance toward Marib city. He was the one who led the Houthi forces to take over Amran in 2014. Al-Hakim is included in the US list of Global Terrorists. 

The sources indicated the Houthi plan in Marib is similar to their plan, which they used in2014 when they overthrew the Yemeni government in Sanaa. The group began carrying out meetings and coordination with social figures from the people of Marib and the people of Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda surrounding Marib to the north and south.

According to the sources, the leadership of the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service held a meeting with tribal leaders from the Marib areas, which are under the control of the Houthi group.

Military information says that the Houthis deployed ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones in the areas of Al-Hazm, Al-Matoun, Khab Washaaf, Al-Maraziq, and Al-Saqiya Mountains of Al-Jawf province, bordering Saudi Arabia and adjacent to Marib.

An official source in the Office of the Presidency in Aden confirmed in statements to the state-run Saba News Agency the full support of the state leadership for the local authority in Marib province to implement the government's decisions related to raising the prices of oil derivatives.

The source warned against any violence or acts that breach the law and order to serve the Houthis, calling for maintaining the cohesion of the internal front.

Sultan Al-Arada, the Marib governor and a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, received local and international calls about the need to maintain stability in Marib as the province is a humanitarian and economic hub, where over two million people displaced by the war. Marib also accommodates Safer facility for oil and gas production.

The Interior Ministry of the Yemeni government said in a previous statement that it was about to announce a blacklist of those causing chaos and attacks on oil installations and main roads and the killing of innocent people on public lines in Marib, as well as everyone who supports, incites or finances their actions there.

Al-Arada, accompanied by Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz, continues meetings with tribal leaders to clarify the importance of implementing government decisions and mobilizing public opinion with the state.

Last week, three members of the Yemeni army were killed because of the escalation between the local authority in Marib and those who opposed the fuel price increase. The Yemeni army used drones to prevent what it called gangs from targeting the Safer oil facility, which led to the killing of two people. The authorities said those who were killed in a drone strike are affiliated with the Houthi group, which is accused of being behind the inflaming the situation of the situation in Marib.

The fuel in Marib remains the cheapest in the world even after the government decided to raise its price. The decision raised the fuel price from 3,500 to 8,000 for 20 liters, which means that 20 liters is about five dollars and twenty cents. The price of one liter is about 26 cents, which is a low price at a global level. 

In Saudi Arabia, an oil-rich country, the price of one liter is 62 cents. In Houthi-controlled Sana'a, the price of 20 liters of petrol is 9,500 riyals, which means that the price of twenty liters is about 18 dollars and 44 cents. The price of one liter in Sanaa 92 cents, which means three times its price in Marib.