Houthis seize Yemen Red Sea coast as Saudi pipeline halted after drone strike

Houthi forces announced on Monday that they had taken control of a stretch of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, a strategic area that includes the port of Al‑Mokha and nearby facilities. The advance comes amid intensified fighting in the country’s south‑west, where the Iran‑aligned group has been expanding its territorial hold since launching a broad offensive earlier this year. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company confirmed the temporary shutdown of the East‑West Crude Oil Pipeline after a drone strike damaged a key pumping station, halting the flow of crude that normally moves from the oil‑rich fields of the Eastern Province to the Red Sea export terminal at Yanbu.

The pipeline suspension is expected to reduce Saudi crude exports by several hundred thousand barrels per day, prompting the kingdom to reroute shipments through alternative routes while repairs are undertaken. Saudi officials described the drone attack as a “significant escalation” and vowed to enhance security measures along the pipeline corridor. The Houthi seizure of the Red Sea coast, coupled with the disruption of a major oil conduit, has heightened concerns among regional governments and global markets about the stability of energy supplies and the broader security environment in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.