Saudi Arabia, the largest of the Gulf states, has been drawn deeper into the war this month as Iran-aligned Houthi fighters have advanced in Yemen, routing forces of the Saudi-backed government and threatening Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea.
Oil markets found some relief on Tuesday after sources told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had restarted operations at its East-West Pipeline and could resume exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu within hours, albeit at reduced volumes. O/R
The pipeline, Saudi Arabia's main export route bypassing wartime disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, had been shut after attacks this month that Riyadh blamed on Iranian-backed groups in Iraq.
The Houthis have driven back Saudi-supported government forces along the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at its mouth, and have attacked Saudi Arabia directly with missiles and drones. They are now pushing to seize the strategic heights of the Kahboub Mountains that overlook the Red Sea coast.
The US, which bombed the Houthis for two months last year, has so far rebuffed repeated pleas from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to rejoin the fight. The New York Times reported that Trump called off US strikes against the Houthis on Sunday at the last minute.
Asked why Washington had held back from striking the Houthis, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "Ultimately, if it comes down to it, the United States will always stand with Saudi Arabia and support them because we have an agreement with them to do so.
"That said, that is a very dangerous and complex conflict that pre-exists ... We have a history with the Houthis as well, and that's something we don't want to see impacted either."
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