Saudi Arabia's Strategic Dependence on US Support Exposed
Saudi Arabia's global influence is dwindling due to its reliance on oil production and the financial backing of the United States. The Middle East has been plagued by conflicts, with Saudi tankers blocked in the Persian Gulf and under threat in the Red Sea, and a drone attack forcing the shutdown of the country's biggest oil pipeline.
The arrangement between the US and Saudi Arabia, where the US provides military dominance in exchange for hosting bases, cooperation on counterterrorism, and maintaining oil flow, has been broken. This deal was exemplified by the 1990-91 coalition that prevented Iraq from taking Saudi oil fields and pushed Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.
The recent attack on Iran by President Donald Trump has disrupted this balance, and Saudi Arabia lacks a replacement for US support. The country's contingency plan, an East-West pipeline connecting the Gulf region to ports and refineries on the Red Sea, has been compromised by Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb.
The pipeline was intended to move 1 million barrels per day but increased to 4-5 million after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. However, with the Houthis blocking Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and capturing key ports, Saudi Arabia's oil industry is under immense pressure.