SANAA, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said on Monday that it had launched drone strikes on facilities involved in transporting crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, saying the operations were in response to alleged Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group had targeted "a number of sensitive sites and facilities" involved in transporting crude oil along the route using "multiple drones." He did not identify the targeted locations or provide details on the number of drones used in the operation.

The Houthi claim came hours after Saudi Arabia said its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province and the capital, Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said the drones were launched by Iran-backed armed groups operating in Iraq.

The latest development came amid a sharp escalation that began last week when the Houthi group imposed a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, saying the move was a response to what it described as a blockade on areas under its control.

Since then, both sides have exchanged a series of military strikes, with the Houthis claiming attacks on Saudi-linked vessels and energy infrastructure and the Saudi-led coalition conducting airstrikes on Houthi-held sites in Yemen.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government. ■