Houthi Forces Strike Saudi Arabia, Hormuz Oil Tanker Attacked Again, but Saudi Arabia Says Key Oil Pipeline Operations Restored Over 80%

Conflicts in the Middle East continue, yet the changes in energy transportation do not fully reflect battlefield developments: On one hand, Yemen's Houthi forces have repeatedly launched attacks against Saudi Arabia, and there are reports of another oil tanker being hit in the Strait of Hormuz. On the other hand, last month, more than 80% of the maximum capacity of a major Saudi oil pipeline that was previously suspended has been restored, and energy giant Shell also stated that Middle Eastern oil flows have returned to roughly 80% of pre-Iran conflict levels.

On Tuesday, October 6, local time, Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority reported that Jeddah and Najran airports were attacked by Houthi forces the previous night, injuring three people. According to a report from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) referenced by CCTV on the 6th, an oil tanker was hit by an unidentified flying object in the Strait of Hormuz, with the exact time of the incident yet to be confirmed.

Also on Tuesday, according to CCTV News, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman stated that the east-west pipeline’s daily oil throughput has now reached 5.8 million barrels. This pipeline connects Saudi Arabia’s main oil-producing region in the east with the Red Sea port city Yanbu, with a maximum capacity of around 7 million barrels per day. It is a crucial alternative route for Saudi crude exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, and it was temporarily shut down in September due to a drone attack.

This information indicates that while Middle Eastern shipping and infrastructure continue to face the risk of attack, the region's oil supply chain is gradually being restored, and for now, there has not been a simultaneous, escalating supply disruption with the battlefield situation.

Houthis Launch Three Waves of Attacks in One Day; Two Saudi Airports Hit

According to CCTV News, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority stated on October 6 that on the evening of October 5 local time, Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport and Najran International Airport were attacked by Yemen’s Houthi forces, resulting in three injuries and "limited material damage."

According to CCTV, a Houthi spokesperson issued a video statement on the night of October 5, declaring that the group launched three waves of attacks on Saudi Arabia that day, including at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

According to Xinhua, on October 6, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated on social media that the group launched dozens of attacks that day in Yemen’s southern Lahij province targeting “Saudi-backed armed gatherings,” causing over 200 casualties on the opposing side.

The media pointed out that these attacks occurred as Saudi Arabia and its allied Yemeni government troops were launching a counteroffensive against the Houthis. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have recently advanced toward the Red Sea coast and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seeking to retake control of this strategic passage, while the Houthis have responded by striking Saudi targets with missiles and drones.

Previously, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces had advanced into areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and is a key artery for Middle Eastern energy transportation and Eurasian trade.

Therefore, recent Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and infrastructure also highlight that western Saudi Arabia’s energy transport system remains at elevated risk.

As of This Tuesday: East-West Pipeline Throughput Restored to 5.8 Million Barrels/Day

In stark contrast to the airport attacks, Saudi Arabia’s most important alternative oil pipeline is rapidly recovering.

Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman stated at an event in Bahrain on October 6 that as of that morning, the throughput of the east-west pipeline had reached 5.8 million barrels per day.

Reports state that the pipeline was temporarily closed following a drone attack on September 10 but was reopened about 5-6 days after suffering “significant damage.” By the end of last week, Saudi Aramco had already restored throughput to nearly 6 million barrels per day.

The east-west pipeline connects Saudi Arabia’s main eastern oilfields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, with a maximum capacity of about 7 million barrels per day. At the current rate of 5.8 million barrels per day, throughput has surpassed 80% of its maximum capacity.

Of this, about 4.5 million barrels per day of crude oil can be exported through Yanbu port.

The strategic value of this pipeline has become even more prominent with the increased risks in the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia can use the east-west pipeline to transport crude from the east to the Red Sea, exporting via Yanbu port, thus reducing reliance on the critical waterway of Hormuz.

Media reports noted that the east-west pipeline was previously disrupted, forcing Saudi Arabia to redirect some oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz; as the pipeline recovers and Yanbu port resumes operations, Saudi oil exports are being restored.

An Oil Tanker Leaving Hormuz Hit; Shipping Risks Linger

However, the recovery of Saudi Arabia’s alternative pipeline route does not mean that risks to Middle Eastern oil shipping have been resolved.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported on October 6 that they had received a delayed report regarding the incident in the Strait of Hormuz on the 5th. An oil tanker exiting the strait was struck by an unidentified flying object, with the exact timing still being confirmed and investigations underway.

UKMTO has not disclosed the identity of the tanker, the extent of the damage, or the source of the attack, but cautioned vessels transiting the area to navigate carefully and promptly report any suspicious activity.

For the oil market, a single tanker attack does not necessarily signal a complete disruption of transport through the Strait of Hormuz. However, if similar incidents persist, it could drive up shipping insurance costs and prompt shipowners to reduce transits through this key corridor.

This is a vital change facing the Middle East oil market today: crude production and pipeline transportation are recovering, but maritime shipping security risks remain high.

Shell CEO: Middle East Oil Flows Back to Around 80% of Pre-Iran War Levels

Across the broader Middle East, the recovery in oil shipping is also quite apparent.

Shell CEO Wael Sawan said on October 6 at the London Energy Intelligence Forum that despite ongoing regional conflicts, Middle Eastern oil flows have now returned to more than 80% of pre-conflict levels.

“Despite everything that has happened, we are now at more than 80% of pre-conflict levels,” Sawan said. He believes this shows that Middle Eastern oil producers are still working to fulfill their commitments to global energy supply.

However, he also stressed that while oil flows via the Strait of Hormuz have somewhat recovered, they remain below normal. The market has been able to offset the worst supply shocks, helped by weakened Chinese demand and increased output in other regions.

Sawan warned that the longer the conflict drags on, the harder it will be for the market to continue absorbing the disruptions. The worst of the crisis may have eased for now, but “this situation cannot continue indefinitely,” and new disruptions could still occur.

This also underscores a notable feature of the current Middle Eastern oil market: battlefield risks remain, but the speed of supply chain recovery is, for now, outpacing the rate at which the conflict is spilling over.

The restoration of Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline to 5.8 million barrels per day is providing an important buffer for the global oil market; and overall, Middle Eastern oil flows have returned to about 80% of pre-war levels. At the same time, however, Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure, military activity near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and consecutive security incidents involving merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz all illustrate that this recovery is still built on high underlying risks.

For the oil market, the focus is no longer just on “how much crude is returning to the market,” but rather on whether this crude can arrive continuously and safely at buyers. So far, supply restoration is offsetting part of the conflict’s impact, but as long as security risks in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb straits persist, the Middle Eastern oil market will struggle to truly return to normal.