Houthi attack on Yemen oil port risks impacting global supplies

The pace of military attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthis has escalated on the crude oil export ports in Hadhramout (southeast of Yemen) and Shabwa, while the United Nations and regional countries continue their efforts to extend the UN-mediated temporary truce that ended on October.

Political observers said that the Houthi military escalation and targeting of oil export ports through booby-trapped drone attacks serve the goals of their supporters in Tehran, namely prolonging the war that erupted in late March 2015, undermining international and regional efforts to end the crisis, reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis, and threaten international navigation and trade in the Arabian Sea.

They pointed to the risks posed by the Houthis' continued targeting of ports, as it would damage the legitimate government's ability to export oil and thus benefit from its revenues, and negatively affect the possibility of foreign companies continuing to work in the oil sector, which faces an uncertain future, and whose revenues, estimates confirm, were in some years before the war, about 70% of the state's general budget and 90% of its exports.

On November 10, the Houthis attacked by drones the Qena commercial port in Shabwa governorate, in a continuation of their terrorist operations and targeting civilian facilities.

The Yemeni government confirmed in a statement that this attack, which was met with widespread international outrage, reflects the aggressive face of these terrorist militias, in clear violation of all international calls for stopping the escalation and stopping targeting the infrastructure and economic capabilities of the Yemeni people, which these militias commit to serve the agenda of the rogue Iranian regime. and to destabilize international peace and security.

On October 31, the Canadian company "Calvali Petroleum" announced the suspending of production operations in the oil sector No. (9) in Hadhramout governorate.

The UN Security Council had strongly condemned the terrorist attacks by drones launched by the Houthi militia on the Dabba oil port in Hadhramout, where an oil tanker was docked.

In a press statement, the council members considered this "a serious threat to the peace process, stability of Yemen, and maritime security, including navigational rights and freedoms stipulated in international law."

The members of the Security Council stressed that "any escalation will only exacerbate the suffering of the Yemeni people."