France and Britain Shield Saudi Oil Exports Amid Escalating Houthi Strikes
France and Britain have announced plans to shield Saudi Arabia's oil exports by deploying troops, radar equipment, and air-defense batteries around the Yanbu oil complex. This move comes as Houthi strikes escalate in the region, forcing the shutdown of the East-West Pipeline that carries crude from Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea.
The pipeline, which has been carrying between 4-5 million barrels of crude per day, is a critical export route for Saudi Arabia. The deployment will combine ground personnel, radar networks, and air-defense systems positioned around the Yanbu site on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, with French President Emmanuel Macron stating that the mission is purely protective and not intended to get France involved in any conflicts.
Britain has also committed to supporting Saudi Arabia by stationing an RAF Voyager tanker at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which will refuel Saudi Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado jets flying intercept missions. While the UK's contribution is smaller than France's, it marks a significant shift in London's involvement in the region.
The moves point to a growing recognition among regional backers that Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure is a shared strategic concern rather than a purely domestic one. The French and British deployments have already had an impact on crude markets, with Brent futures settling at $106.60 per barrel on September 24, up over 3% from the previous day.