| Highlights from yesterday |
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A new war in Yemen could be different for the Houthis
Expert says that while the Houthis remain powerful actors in Yemen with considerable military force and influence, the strategic environment has changed in ways that would make a resumption of war more difficult for them.
Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group, said that greater cohesion within the Yemeni government camp could turn the momentum of the war away from the Houthis.
“We are already starting to see some of these dynamics. Compared with earlier this year, the Presidential Leadership Council [Yemen’s UN-recognized authority] is less divided, and decision-making appears more coordinated,” Nagi said.
“Saudi Arabia has also become the main regional actor on the ground, working more closely with the different anti-Houthi factions,” he added. “That puts the Yemeni government in a better position than before and could make things more difficult for the Houthis.”
“But the outcome will depend on how that conflict is managed. If the Yemeni government approaches a military campaign against the Houthis differently, with better coordination and a unified strategy, it could put real pressure on the Houthis and shift the balance of power on the ground,” Nagi said.
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Saudi Aramco closes Jazan oil refinery after damaging attack
Saudi Aramco shut down its 400,000 barrels per day Jazan oil refinery on July 27 following an attack by Yemen’s Houthis on Saturday, Reuters news agency reports.
Citing a memo by the consultancy IR, it said the attack damaged the integrated composite gasification cycle complex and the oil tank area, adding that Aramco will complete repair work and initially restart the refinery by August 15.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Saturday the group succeeded in targeting Saudi Aramco sites in Jazan and Yanbu, underscoring the expansion of the war in the Middle East which has disrupted global energy supplies.
A video circulated on social media and verified by Reuters showed a plume of smoke rising from the Jazan refinery.
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Japan calls on Iran to ‘urge’ Houthis to ‘exercise restraint’
Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, held talks over the phone.
Motegi urged Iran to exercise “maximum flexibility” to help secure a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, according to a statement by Japan’s Foreign Ministry,
Motegi expressed “deep concern” over the widening “damage” of the conflict, including on neighboring countries.
He also said it’s of the “utmost importance” to restore “free and safe navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz without additional costs as soon as possible.
Citing energy security concerns, he asked Iran to “urge” its Houthi allies to “exercise restraint” following the group’s declaration of a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and their attacks on commercial vessels.
Last week, the Houthis announced a ban on maritime navigation to Saudi Arabia, accusing it of imposing a siege on territory in Yemen controlled by the movement.
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Satellite image shows smoke rising from Saudi oil refinery after Houthi strike
A satellite image has captured smoke billowing from Saudi Arabia’s Jazan oil refinery, days after Yemen’s Houthis claimed an attack on Saudi Aramco facilities.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Saturday that the group had successfully struck Aramco sites in both Jazan and Yanbu, the latest sign of how the region’s conflict continues to threaten global energy supplies.
The Jazan refinery, which processes 400,000 barrels of oil a day, was damaged badly enough that Aramco shut it down on July 27, according to a memo from consultancy IR.
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Houthis fire missiles at Saudi oil tanker in Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthis say they fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker, the NCC Ghazal, in the Red Sea.
The group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree accused the vessel of violating their declared maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and ignoring warning calls.
The tanker was forced to turn back, he added, saying that the group will “continue to enforce the maritime blockade on the Saudi enemy as part of a comprehensive strategy of siege and escalation”.
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