Saudi Arabia Reassures Oil Markets as Houthi Claims Continue Amid Rising Regional Tensions

   Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its ability to maintain oil exports through multiple routes and denied the existence of any talks with the Houthis, as the group continues to issue unverified claims of attacks against Saudi land and maritime targets.

The Saudi statements came after the Houthis claimed to have targeted Najran Airport and before the group later alleged that it had struck the Saudi oil tanker Wafaa with several ballistic missiles in the northern Red Sea off Yanbu.

The tanker claim remains based solely on the Houthi statement. No Saudi authority, maritime security company, or international shipping body has independently confirmed that an attack occurred or that the vessel sustained any damage.

Saudi Aramco President and Chief Executive Amin Nasser downplayed the potential impact of Houthi attacks on the Kingdom’s export capacity, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia has multiple export routes and does not rely exclusively on either the Arabian Gulf or the Red Sea.

Nasser said the Kingdom remains capable of exporting crude through several corridors, including the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, while its extensive pipeline network provides additional flexibility in maintaining energy supplies despite regional security challenges.

Separately, a senior Saudi source told Al Arabiya that there were no talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Muscat or through any intermediary.

Together, the statements conveyed two key messages: that Saudi oil exports remain secure despite ongoing regional tensions, and that the Kingdom is not managing the current escalation through an active negotiating channel with the Houthis.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have continued issuing successive claims involving Najran Airport and a Saudi tanker near Yanbu, although neither claim has been independently verified.

Background:

Hours before these developments, Sheba Intelligence reported that intelligence sources had warned of Houthi preparations for attacks targeting sensitive locations in Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea region as part of an anticipated escalation. While the specific claims announced by the Houthis have not been independently confirmed, the continued focus on Saudi and maritime targets is consistent with the broader escalation pattern highlighted in Sheba Intelligence’s earlier reporting.