Saudi Arabia’s Oil Exports Under Siege: What Lies Ahead?
The Yemeni operations in the Saudi depth have taken an escalatory turn, entering new phases that include parallel targets, amid anticipation of what is next. So, what awaits Saudi Arabia? Exclusive — Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:
Last July, Yemen announced its decision to begin imposing a ban on Saudi navigation in the Red Sea. A few days later, during which it carried out land and sea strikes, whether by targeting oil ships or oil facilities, Yemen succeeded in imposing the maritime siege in light of the disruption of oil exports via the main port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, which Saudi Arabia had considered as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz with a capacity reaching 9 million barrels per day according to what the Kingdom was planning, according to a previous statement by the Ministry of Energy.
Oil Exports in Free Fall
In addition to the withdrawal of oil transport ships that Saudi Arabia had contracted with and that belong to East Asian companies from oil transport services, until Saudi Arabia was forced to export its oil through smuggling or what it describes as ship-to-ship transfer, reaching only the port of Sohar in the Sultanate of Oman. Today, Saudi Arabia is unable to export even a quarter of its previous oil production in light of the damage to the energy infrastructure with the bombing of fields, facilities, and distribution centers and stations, along with the ports, or the targeting of the naval fleet for transporting oil.
The Maritime Siege Takes Hold
As for the issue of the maritime siege on Saudi Arabia, it has become a reality today. Even Riyadh is suffering at the level of cargo ships that used to arrive daily in the dozens at the port of Jeddah and Dammam and no longer arrive even at the minimum, which also exacerbates the supply situation.
The Air Ban: A New Phase
Today, after about 3 months of the maritime battle with Saudi Arabia that Yemen has indeed decided, the Yemeni forces announce the transition to a new phase that includes the air ban. With the launch of the operations in their first days, the Saudi airspace appears almost empty, whereas its airports were transit centers and regional and international aviation stations that never stopped. Of the original 25 international airports in Saudi Arabia, less than the number of fingers remain operating, and they are located at the eastern edges of the Kingdom, and the operations may reach them at any moment, so that Saudi Arabia has entered the circle of the Yemeni-declared air ban by 100%.
Gas Fields: A New Target
The new phase was not limited to the air ban, as during the past two days a remarkable development was recorded with the identification of gas fields as targets for the first time, where the names of plants and fields that the world would not have heard of emerged, which indicates that the battle is coming in parallel. What stands out today is the questions of the followers about the next targets in the Saudi depth. However, unlike Riyadh, which has exhausted its targets in Yemen over the past years and no longer bombs anything but what is already bombed, Yemen possesses a vast array of options to target, including military bases, strategic infrastructure, and economic hubs.
The Future Unfolds
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains unclear what lies ahead for Saudi Arabia. Will the country be able to recover from the devastating impact on its oil exports? Or will the maritime siege and air ban continue to cripple its economy? Only time will tell.
Original Article: From the Sea Ban to the Air, and from Bombing Oil Fields to Gas… What Is the Next Step for the “Houthis” in Saudi Arabia? | الخبر اليمني — Alkhabaralyemeni