The Iran-backed Houthi forces of Yemen have launched a new offensive against Saudi Arabia while consolidating their positions on the country’s western coast, along the Red Sea.
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According to Yemeni officials, the Houthis’ rapid advance has prompted urgent meetings in Riyadh on how to respond. Meanwhile, Arab Gulf countries have postponed planned talks with Iran, deepening fears that the regional conflict could expand and affect global oil supplies.
On Monday, the Houthi group announced it had launched dozens of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) against a military airbase in Khamis Mushait, in the southern part of Saudi Arabia.
The attack targeted aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways, and ammunition depots, and was presented as an act of retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Yemeni territory.
On the other hand, Saudi authorities activated emergency systems in Khamis Mushait and three other southern urban centers; the Riyadh-led military coalition reported that 13 civilians were wounded in these strikes.
Further Houthi advances in recent days, including the capture of Perim Island at the entrance to the Red Sea, are increasing pressure on Saudi oil exports. The situation worsened further after an airstrike on Thursday damaged a vital segment of the Saudi pipeline connecting the Persian Gulf coast to the Red Sea shores; Riyadh blamed Iran-backed militias in Iraq for the strike.
This pipeline, about 1,200 kilometers long, was built by Saudi Arabia in the 1980s to provide an alternative oil transport route and to escape dependence on the Strait of Hormuz in case of threat.
Market experts warn that a prolonged disruption of this pipeline could affect up to 4 percent of the world’s oil supply, in a context where passage through the Strait of Hormuz is almost paralyzed. Riyadh has not yet given a date for a return to normal operation.
In response to the Houthi offensive, Saudi and internationally recognized Yemeni executive air forces have intensified bombardments on the rebel group’s positions, including areas around the historic port of Mocha on the Red Sea coast.
However, according to official sources of the legitimate Yemeni government, the Houthis continue to exercise effective control over almost the entire western coastline of Yemen along the Red Sea.
A Yemeni official summed up the situation by saying that the Houthis are under considerable pressure, but at the same time they are turning that pressure back on the Saudis by escalating their campaign of rockets and drones.
The escalation of the conflict in Yemen poses an additional challenge for the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Sources close to Washington indicate that the White House has so far rejected Saudi requests for direct military engagement, offering only intelligence support.
Over the weekend, Trump stated that he had a conversation with the Saudi crown prince and that the Houthis themselves had contacted Washington to ask the United States not to get involved in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Saudi official media reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Monday in Jeddah with U.S. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. forces for the region.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthis since 2015. After a period of significant calm thanks to a ceasefire, fighting has reignited this month.
The diplomatic front is also feeling the weight of the military escalation. Oman was scheduled to host a meeting on Monday between representatives of Iran and Gulf states to discuss negotiations on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but this meeting was postponed.
Tehran indicated that the postponement was requested by the Saudi side. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most vital energy arteries; before the outbreak of war, about 20 percent of global oil exports transited through it.
On Monday, President Trump reiterated his belief that Iran seeks a rapid deal. However, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, rejected this message, stressing that any negotiations would depend on the fulfillment of preconditions set by Iran.
As a result of these developments, crude oil prices rose by more than 4 percent on Monday before stabilizing at a level about 1 percent higher than before.
In the maritime field, the situation remains murky. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces claimed that a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, called El Gaia, was hit by sea mines while sailing in a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz.
But the U.S. military’s Central Command immediately denied this version, stating that the ship was hit by an Iranian missile last month and remains out of service. The International Maritime Organization, under the UN umbrella, confirmed the damage to the El Gaia on Saturday but did not determine the cause, while reporting that two crew members are missing.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for global energy trade, has remained virtually closed since the conflict began on February 28.
Iran has warned ships attempting to pass without its authorization. In a blunt statement, the Revolutionary Guard Navy stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and is under their complete control.
The escalation in Yemen, tensions between Iran and Gulf countries, and uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz are creating an increasingly dangerous picture for global energy markets, while the main fear is that this conflict could spread even further in the Middle East region.
