Houthis Claim Strike on Key Saudi Oil Pipeline

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said on Monday they had attacked several key Saudi oil infrastructure sites, including the strategic East-West oil pipeline linking the kingdom's eastern oil fields to the Red Sea export terminal at Yanbu.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari said the operation was carried out in retaliation for what the group described as repeated Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace. Saudi oil giant Aramco did not immediately comment on the reported attacks.

The East-West pipeline, which transports crude oil to the port of Yanbu, is a key strategic asset because it allows Saudi Arabia to export oil without relying on the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping route vulnerable to disruption by Iran. The reported attacks, together with continued Houthi threats to shipping in the Red Sea, renewed concerns over global energy supplies and put upward pressure on oil prices.

In response, Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on Houthi military positions in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding maritime security and protecting international shipping routes.

(Reuters, Max)