Houthis Unleash Destructive Wave on Saudi Arabia's Oil Lifeline

Saudi Arabia is facing unprecedented attacks from two fronts in Yemen and Iraq. The Houthi militia, based in northern Yemen, seized the port city of Mocha on September 10 and advanced along the Red Sea coast toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway for Saudi exports.

Meanwhile, drones from Iraq struck Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, which carries oil from eastern fields to Red Sea export terminals. These attacks coincide with the Iraqi government's September 30 deadline for non-state groups in the country to disarm and mounting US and Israeli pressure on Iran, which arms and sustains them.

The Houthis have been terrorizing commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait for months. Despite their conventional military disadvantage, international forces, including the US, have failed to stop them.