Houthis Target Saudi Oil as Hudaydah Front Shifts in Yemen War

ISW-CTP’s Iran Update reports the Houthis increasingly striking Saudi oil facilities to raise costs after their Red Sea blockade appears ineffective, while Saudi oil exports have been rerouted to lessen impact. A ROYG/NRF counteroffensive in southern Hudaydah (Sept 5) aims to relieve pressure on Taiz and seek to seize al Jarrahi, with Huaythis’ ultimate target Hudaydah City but facing sustainability challenges. US-Iran diplomacy yields no major breakthroughs; Iran faces domestic security deployments amid worsening economy and gasoline-price hikes, coupled with new sanctions on its aviation sector. Iraq is pushing to restrain Iranian officials, and the broader regional picture remains volatile with ongoing Yemeni frontlines and Iranian strategic/Middle East maneuvering.