Houthi forces in Yemen carried out a coordinated campaign of aerial strikes against Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and military assets on Thursday, November 12, 2026, targeting sites including the East-West pipeline and the coastal hub of Yanbu. These attacks occurred as the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a one-year extension of sanctions on the Iran-aligned group, formalizing a mandate that includes travel bans and asset freezes while demanding an end to cross-border hostilities.
Details of the Recent Attacks
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for multiple operations, asserting that a drone strike successfully hit a pumping station on the East-West pipeline, while a ballistic missile targeted oil facilities in the port city of Yanbu. The group further claimed to have launched a drone toward Saudi Aramco headquarters in Riyadh and targeted a military cargo plane at Sharurah airport near the southern border, alongside a missile strike against the Khamis Mushait airbase. While the Saudi-led coalition did not comment on the specific infrastructure claims, its spokesperson, Major General Turki al-Maliki, confirmed that coalition forces intercepted several drones in the Riyadh region and the Eastern Province.
The United Nations Security Council resolution condemns the military escalation by the Houthis, their maritime and cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia, and their threats to commercial shipping vessels.
Escalating Regional Conflict
The latest strikes mark a volatile period for Saudi Arabia's energy sector, which has increasingly relied on the East-West pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz since the escalation of the conflict in West Asia. Reports of damage to the pipeline infrastructure have emerged in several instances this month, including a confirmed fire following an attack on November 9. The broader regional conflict has prompted international intervention, with the United Kingdom announcing that it will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon jets to provide defensive support to the Saudi military. This comes amid high tensions that have caused Brent crude prices to reach $110 per barrel and follows a separate attack earlier this month on King Khalid International Airport, which resulted in significant casualties.
Context of the Yemen Conflict
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi revivalist organization that has been a primary force in the ongoing Yemeni civil war for over a decade. The group maintains close ties to Iran and is frequently involved in cross-border engagements with the Saudi-backed coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia, which shares a long southern border with Yemen, has repeatedly sought to defend its territory using air defense systems against incoming ballistic missiles and drones. The recent UNSC resolution seeks to reinforce the authority of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen while urging all involved parties to pursue a negotiated resolution to the crisis.
What remains unclear?
Significant discrepancies exist regarding the specific locations and effectiveness of the Houthi attacks. While the Houthi spokesperson claimed a strike on Pumping Station No. 7, some reports have cited Pumping Station No. 11, and Saudi authorities have not provided official confirmation or damage assessments for these specific sites. Additionally, there is a clear disagreement between the two sides regarding the Makkah region; the Saudi-led coalition and local civil defense reports stated that missile debris was found in the area, a claim the Houthi leadership has formally rejected as a fabrication. As of November 13, 2026, no definitive timeline for further diplomatic talks or military de-escalation has been provided by either the coalition or the Houthi leadership.
Sources: This report draws on coverage by Al Jazeera, https://houseofsaud.com/, https://globalpost.com/, The Hindu, Reuters, The New Arab, Ahram Online, Arabian Business. The wording is our own.
