Yemeni Houthis claimed they had attacked the strategic Saudi East–West oil pipeline and an oil facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.
The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said that in one drone operation, pumping station No. 7 along the pipeline had been hit. A second attack, he said, was carried out with a ballistic missile against an oil facility in Yanbu. “Both operations achieved their objectives,” Saree said.
Riyadh confirms attack on the facility
On November 9, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced that the East–West pipeline had been attacked in the Medina area. According to the ministry, a limited fire broke out and was quickly extinguished by emergency crews. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, and the facility’s operations were not affected, the ministry said.
At the time, Saudi Arabia did not say who was behind the attack. The Houthis’ statement on November 12 was the first public claim of responsibility for this specific strike.
A key route for Saudi oil
The pipeline, also known as the “Petroline,” is approximately 1,200 kilometers long and connects production areas in eastern Saudi Arabia with Yanbu on the Red Sea. The route allows the kingdom to export crude oil without shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The route’s importance has grown because of restrictions on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and threats to commercial traffic in the Red Sea. The port of Yanbu is a major outlet for Saudi oil to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and large areas in the northern and western parts of the country.
Sources: english.ahram.org.eg, apnews.com, yemenmonitor.com