Yemen's Houthi Rebels Escalate Regional Tensions with Attacks on Saudi Arabia
The rebels claim to have downed a Saudi fighter jet and Saudi Arabia reports intercepting a drone near Mecca amid growing fears of a global oil supply crisis.
Saudi Arabia announced it intercepted a Houthi drone near the outskirts of Mecca on Tuesday, an act the Saudi-led Coalition Forces spokesman described as a "hostile attempt" intended to provoke Muslims worldwide. The Houthis, however, denied targeting Islam's holiest city, with military spokesman Yahya Saree stating their operations are directed at oil facilities and military bases far from sacred sites. Mecca holds deep religious significance for Muslims, serving as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and a destination for millions of pilgrims annually.
In parallel, the Houthis claimed on Wednesday to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province using a "locally made air-to-air missile." Saree also accused Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes. A Saudi military spokesman reported that Houthi attacks on civilian areas in Khamis Mushait and other cities injured 13 civilians and damaged property.
These escalations coincide with mounting concerns over global oil supply stability. Houthi rebels recently seized the strategic Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the Red Sea, following an earlier attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. The East-West Pipeline, crucial for transporting Saudi crude from Persian Gulf ports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was shut down after an attack Saudi Arabia attributed to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Repairs to the pipeline, which normally handles 2.6 million to four million barrels per day, are expected to take three to five weeks, potentially impacting market supply.
The Houthi advance in the Red Sea, including the capture of the port city of Mokha and Mayun Island within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, positions them closer to vital shipping routes and a U.S. military base in Djibouti. The rebels have been targeting Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea for over a month, increasing pressure on global oil prices and Iran's leverage in its regional conflict with the U.S. These threats have led to frequent air raid warnings across Saudi Arabia, and a series of missile and drone attacks by the Houthis have resulted in civilian casualties.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has also had a significant humanitarian impact, displacing nearly 94,000 people who have fled their homes. Aid organizations report that many displaced individuals lack adequate food and water, with some areas seeing entire villages emptied. Approximately 200 schools in southwestern Yemen have been converted into shelters for displaced families.