Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Pipeline in Retaliation

The Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for launching drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's key oil facilities along the East-West pipeline, which supplies crude oil to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The operation was described as retaliation for repeated Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace. According to local media Al-Masirah TV, multiple drones struck 'a number of sensitive targets and points for the supply and transport of crude oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu.'

The East-West pipeline operates at its full capacity of 7 million barrels per day after Riyadh expanded its use to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The shift has turned Yanbu into one of Saudi Arabia's most strategically important energy hubs, with the Red Sea port linked to the kingdom's eastern oil fields.

Saudi-Houthi tensions have been escalating in recent days, with the Houthis detecting Saudi reconnaissance drones in Yemeni airspace and claiming they had shot down a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci UAV. The group also claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, alleging the vessels had breached restrictions.