Houthi gains at the southern entrance to the Red Sea and a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s East–West pipeline have threatened the kingdom’s alternative to shipping oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia’s main route for bypassing the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has come under pressure on two fronts: drones have forced the shutdown of its pipeline to the Red Sea, while Houthi fighters have seized an island overlooking the passage used by tankers sailing towards Asia.
The advances have widened the economic consequences of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. For Riyadh, diverting crude across the Arabian Peninsula has reduced dependence on Hormuz but exposed its exports to attacks on infrastructure inland and shipping off Yemen.
Yemeni government sources said Houthi forces reached Mayun, also known as Perim, on Friday, September 11, after government troops withdrew. The deployment followed the capture of Mocha and an advance into Dhubab, on the mainland opposite the island.
Saudi Arabia’s bypass under attack
The Saudi energy ministry said attacks on Thursday struck the East–West pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, injuring several people. Operations were suspended as a precaution while technical teams assessed the damage. Officials did not announce how long the closure would last.
The pipeline carries crude from the kingdom’s eastern oil infrastructure to Yanbu on the Red Sea. By early June, exports from its western outlet had more than doubled to above five million barrels a day, according to International Energy Agency figures reported by ABC.
Saudi Arabia said the drones originated in Iraq. According to Arab News, Riyadh agreed to withhold retaliation while Baghdad investigated, while reserving the right to defend its territory and infrastructure.
That restraint reflects the kingdom’s difficult position. A broader military response could invite further attacks on the facilities it needs to protect.
A foothold beside the shipping lanes
Mayun sits within Bab al-Mandab, the narrow passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Holding it strengthens the Houthis’ position alongside a shipping route that has become more important as passage through Hormuz has been disrupted.
Al Jazeera’s Arabic reporting described fighters arriving by boat and seeking positions on hills overlooking the strait. It also reported government troops besieged on the Hanish islands, indicating that the wider coastal battle remained unsettled.
Possession of Mayun does not establish complete control over navigation. But the Houthis do not need to stop every vessel to disrupt trade: the threat of attack can deter operators, increase insurance costs and force longer voyages.
The movement said shipping would remain safe except for Saudi vessels, presenting its campaign as retaliation for Saudi restrictions on Houthi territory. Shipping companies must weigh that assurance against the risks of operating in an active conflict.
Competing accounts of Iran’s role
Iranian and Saudi coverage underline the political stakes. Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV presented the offensive as the expulsion of Saudi forces from Yemeni territory, relaying Houthi claims of territorial gains, freed prisoners and aircraft losses. Those military claims have not been independently established.
Saudi reporting has focused on attacks against energy facilities and civilians. Arab News cited Saudi authorities as saying earlier strikes on southern cities injured 73 people, including women and children.
The extent of Tehran’s operational involvement remains disputed. Reuters reported, citing Iranian, Yemeni and regional sources, that Revolutionary Guards personnel provided guidance for the offensive and that Iran promised further support. Its account also quoted an Iranian official describing the decision to advance on Mocha as the Houthis’ own. Tehran publicly denies directing the movement militarily.
The gains nevertheless serve a shared strategic interest: increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia and raising the economic cost of Washington’s confrontation with Iran.
Riyadh’s limited options
The speed of the Houthi advance has exposed divisions among their opponents. Yemeni officials told Reuters that Saudi military assistance had fallen short of their requests. They believed Riyadh was limiting its air campaign for fear of provoking heavier strikes on Saudi territory; Saudi officials did not publicly confirm that explanation.
Washington has also reportedly resisted deeper involvement. According to an Axios report cited by Reuters, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked President Donald Trump to order strikes against the Houthis, but Trump declined direct intervention at that stage.
Yemeni government forces have announced plans to contest the lost territory. Whether they can reverse the offensive will depend partly on the support their external partners are prepared to provide.
The cost of keeping oil moving
Brent crude ended Friday at $104.61 a barrel, down on the day but up 8.7 per cent over the week, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The disruption was already affecting Saudi exports before the latest pipeline attack. The US Energy Information Administration said shipments from Yanbu approximately halved in August compared with July. Saudi Arabia has increased shipments north through Suez, providing a longer and costlier alternative for Asian customers.
The agency also reported substantial global inventory drawdowns, reducing the buffer against further supply interruptions. That does not establish that strategic reserves are exhausted, but it leaves markets more exposed to prolonged disruption.
In Yemen, the immediate consequences are displacement and renewed fighting. The International Organization for Migration reported that at least 46,000 people had fled the latest violence in the southwest.
Saudi Arabia now faces the task of restoring reliable exports while containing a conflict that threatens both its infrastructure and the routes beyond its shores. The longer those routes remain insecure, the greater the cost to oil buyers—and to Yemen’s civilians.