Saudi Shuts Oil Pipeline as Houthis Seize Island
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its crucial East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks damaged infrastructure, while Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis seized the strategic Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, intensifying concerns over global energy supplies and Red Sea shipping.
Saudi East-West Oil Pipeline Shut After Drone Attack
The 1,200-km East-West pipeline carries crude from Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil-producing regions to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi authorities shut the pipeline after drone attacks struck facilities in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday. Several people were injured, while officials continued assessing the extent of the damage.
The route can transport around five million barrels of oil per day and has become particularly important amid disruptions to shipping through Hormuz.
Houthis Capture Strategic Perim Island
Separately, Houthi forces captured Perim Island, also known as Mayun, inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
The takeover follows recent Houthi advances along Yemen’s western coastline, including the capture of the strategic port city of Mocha.
Control of Perim gives the Houthis a presence directly inside one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Red Sea Escalation Threatens Global Oil Supplies
The developments create additional pressure on Saudi Arabia’s ability to move crude to international markets as instability affects alternative export routes on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula.
The Houthis have said navigation remains safe for most commercial vessels while threatening Saudi shipping.
Oil prices have already climbed above $100 a barrel amid concerns that simultaneous disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could further tighten global energy supplies.
