Saudi Arabia Struggles to Maintain Oil Exports Amid Yemen Conflict

Saudi Arabia is facing a functional blockade of its critical maritime routes due to a volatile mix of economic survival and geopolitical pressure in its struggle against the Houthi movement in Yemen.

The kingdom's primary objective is to maintain the flow of oil and gas to global markets, but it has become increasingly reliant on one path north through the Suez Canal, leaving it vulnerable to Egyptian blockage or tariffs.

Riyadh is weighing a return to active military operations against the Houthis, which risks a fresh wave of escalation across the Middle East, but is driven by its need to secure energy export corridors and avoid reliance on a single point of failure.