- September 16, 2026
- Posted by: Tresmark
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Saudi Arabia issued brief security alerts across several areas on Tuesday, including the holy city of Makkah and Jeddah, following a week of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters.
The alerts were lifted shortly afterward. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm whether any projectiles had landed, and no group immediately claimed responsibility.
The warnings were the widest issued since the conflict escalated last week. The alert covering Makkah was the first reported during the current conflict in the city, which is home to sites sacred to Muslims.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have claimed several attacks on Saudi targets over the past week, including a strike on an air base on Monday. The group said the attack was carried out in response to Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia has also blamed a separate Iran-aligned group based in Iraq for an attack on Friday that forced the closure of its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said crude oil could begin flowing through the pipeline again within days.
A Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said 13 civilians were wounded in Monday’s attacks.
Houthi gains raise regional risks
The Houthis have advanced along Yemen’s western coast, increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia and raising concerns about oil supplies and shipping routes.
Saudi and Yemeni forces have increased airstrikes against Houthi positions, including around the Red Sea port of Mocha, which the Houthis captured last week.
Officials from the Saudi-backed Yemeni government said the Houthis now control most of Yemen’s western coastline along the Red Sea.
The development could increase risks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Oil supply faces new risks
Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline connects its oil fields in the Gulf region to the Red Sea and has become increasingly important as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted.
Traders estimate that a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline could affect as much as 4% of global oil supply.
Wright said Saudi Arabia was working with the US military to move more oil through routes that avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices have risen to their highest levels since May. Brent crude moved above $108 a barrel on Tuesday, while the average US diesel price reached a record of nearly $6.27 per gallon.
The UN Security Council is also expected to discuss the worsening situation around the Bab el-Mandeb.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday, with both sides stressing the importance of safe navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea.
The United States has so far provided Saudi Arabia with intelligence support, while Washington faces pressure over whether to provide broader military assistance as regional attacks increase.
