International reports From Jizan to Yanbu Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea at the heart of the global energy crisis

Follow-ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:
According to reports published by international agencies, the developments witnessed in the energy sector during 2026 reveal an expansion in the scope of targeting oil, refining facilities, and supply routes, from Russia to the Gulf, the Red Sea, and Libya, with Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea emerging as one of the most sensitive fronts for the global energy market.
In the latest developments, the Aramco refinery in Jizan was attacked by a drone on August 9, and on Thursday, August 13, Saudi authorities confirmed a fire broke out at the facility, which has a design capacity of about 400,000 barrels per day. Yanbu facilities, which represent an alternative route for Saudi oil away from the Strait of Hormuz, have also been subjected to pressure and attacks, coinciding with Sana’a’s announcement of imposing a ban on Saudi navigation north and south.
The importance of the Red Sea front for Saudi Arabia increases as navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue, as Riyadh relies on the pipeline extending from the eastern region to the Red Sea coast to transport oil and bypass the risks associated with the Gulf. According to what reports stated, Reuters reported that about 70% of oil tanker loading operations on Saudi Arabia’s western coast have stopped, while Kpler estimated a decline in Saudi oil exports via Yanbu from 4.04 million barrels per day to 1.78 million barrels per day. This means that pressures are no longer limited to the safety of oil facilities but have extended to crude export routes, tanker movement, insurance, and shipping.
These developments place Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea within a broader map of energy disruptions in 2026, after refineries, fuel tanks, and refining facilities have become direct targets in several conflict zones.
Reports indicate that the