Explosions Rock Gov't-Controlled Oil Port in Yemen

On Friday, two loud explosions ripped through a key government-controlled oil port in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout.

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"Initial reports indicate that the Houthi militia launched an attack against Dhabah oil port using explosive-laden drones, causing explosions in the government-controlled area," a local security official said, adding that the attack occurred while local authorities were preparing the shipment of crude exports to the global markets.

"Hours before the arrival of an exporting oil tanker to receive the shipment, two simultaneous explosions rocked the vicinity of Dhabah port that's completely secured by government forces," he pointed out, confirming that local security forces cordoned off all the main streets leading to Dhabah port and deployed heavily armored vehicles around the area.

Earlier this month, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced that no agreement had been reached to renew the expired truce between Yemen's warring parties. The truce first went into force on April 2, and then was renewed twice through Oct. 2.

Failure to renew the UN-brokered truce prompted the Houthi militia to warn all foreign oil companies based in the government-controlled provinces to immediately cease operating or face missile attacks.

Yemeni officials said that "the Houthi threats of attacking foreign oil companies operating in Yemen created a nationwide panic and badly affected the country's deteriorating economy."

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia stormed several northern cities and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital, Sanaa. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced four million, and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.