Houthis target Saudi energy assets again

Renewed strikes on Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure have continued to threaten global crude supplies, as regional tensions flare across key maritime trade routes.

IMAGE: Getty Images

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants have struck Saudi Arabian troops stationed in the Al-Mokha region in Yemen “using a large number of ballistic missiles and drones”, the group’s spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said on social media platform X.

A cargo vessel off the coast of Al-Mokha in the southern Red Sea has come under attack due to the air assault, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported.

The vessel was hit by an unknown projectile resulting in casualties, according to the UKMTO. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution,” the agency warned.

Bab al-Mandeb in crosshairs

Meanwhile, the militant group has maintained its blockade of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, preventing vessels from transporting Saudi Arabian crude oil via the Red Sea.

Like the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is also a highly crucial gateway to the Red Sea, overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden. It carries about 7% of global seaborne oil flows.

As of Monday, only 18 vessels have transited the strait, market intelligence firm Windward reported.

Following Houthi warnings targeting Saudi-affiliated cargo, the waters connecting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea via the Bab al-Mandeb strait have transformed into a fresh zone for maritime assaults.

Houthis target Aramco refinery again

Earlier this week, the Houthis struck Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco’s 400,000 b/d refinery in Jizan, Sare’e said.

Operations at the refinery were forced to halt at the end of July, following previous Houthi strikes that caused damages to facility’s fuel and oil storage sites.

The Houthis have also targeted the port of Yanbu – which handles most of Saudi oil shipments – in recent days.

Riyadh is highly dependent on its 1,200 km East-West Pipeline, funnelling about 70% of its crude exports through the Red Sea terminal at Yanbu, to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz.

By launching strikes on Red Sea ports in Saudi Arabia, the Houthis are jeopardizing the safety of the OPEC leader’s backup oil and fuel shipping routes, according to market analysts.

By Aparupa Mazumder

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