Houthis advance on Bab el-Mandeb as Saudi pipeline shutdown raises oil risks
On Sept. 11, Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of operations on a key pipeline carrying oil overland from the country’s east to its west. The move followed a drone attack and came shortly after Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen seized a strategically important island and port in the southern Red Sea, bringing them closer to controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels of attempting to attack Islam's holiest city, Mecca, prompting regional condemnation but no military support. The kingdom, a major U.S. ally, has declared Mecca a "red line" amid its involvement in the Iran war. Saudi Arabia, a top oil exporter, seeks a safe route for its crude and military assistance, though neither appears readily available.
The Houthis denied firing drones at Mecca, claiming the Saudi forces intercepted and destroyed one drone before it entered the city's airspace. Turkey and Pakistan report they have not received a Saudi request for assistance. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representing over 57 Muslim states, condemned the attempted drone attack on Mecca as violating the sanctity of holy sites.
The Houthis also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet in Marib province, but this claim remains unverified. Iran's top diplomat visited China, which is the largest importer of Iranian oil, as discussions focused on the Middle East conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.
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- Saudi Arabia calls an attempted Mecca attack a ‘red line’ as Iran-backed Houthis deny they did it winnipegfreepress.com
- Daily Briefing Sept. 16 – From Mecca to Mokha: Houthis flex as Saudis flail timesofisrael.com
- CNA Explains: Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline is down. Why its oil 'insurance policy' matters channelnewsasia.com
- Fog and heavy rain forecast across Saudi Arabia on Wednesday english.ajel.sa
- From Mecca's red line to the 'Gate of Tears': How US-Iran war is closing in on MBS timesofindia.indiatimes.com
