Yemeni Ansarullah forces reached the strategic islands of Perim and Hanish as well as the coastal towns of Mocha and Dhubab, potentially tightening their grip on one of the world’s vital shipping routes through the Red Sea.
Ansarullah forces had seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday at the mouth of the Red Sea, in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Meanwhile, the East-West oil pipeline was hit on Thursday morning in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Medina regions, the Saudi Energy Ministry said.
Satellite images showed black smoke rising from an area of the pipeline south of Medina.
The attack caused some injuries and damage that was being assessed, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said, without detailing the impact on oil exports.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes.
The world’s largest crude oil exporter subsequently shut down its 1,200-km (745-mile) East-West pipeline as a precaution after the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack.
Both Baghdad and Riyadh said the drone attack had originated in Iraq, while Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday in response to the attack.
The pipeline has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day in recent months, amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply, according to ship tracking companies and analysts.
MNA