Yemen's Ansarullah forces advance along Red Sea, seize strategic island

Yemen's Ansarullah forces have advanced along the Red Sea, reaching the strategic islands of Perim and Hanish as well as the coastal towns of Mocha and Dhubab. On Friday, the forces seized Perim Island at the mouth of the Red Sea in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a move that potentially tightens their control over one of the world's vital shipping routes.

Separately, Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry reported that the East-West oil pipeline was hit on Thursday morning in the Riyadh and Medina regions. Satellite images showed black smoke rising from an area of the pipeline south of Medina. The attack caused some injuries and damage that was being assessed, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry, which did not detail the impact on oil exports. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes.

The world's largest crude oil exporter subsequently shut down its 1,200-km (745-mile) East-West pipeline as a precaution after the conduit came under aerial attack. Both Baghdad and Riyadh said the drone attack had originated in Iraq, while Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday in response to the attack. The pipeline has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day in recent months, amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply, according to ship tracking companies and analysts.

According to Mehr News, the developments mark a significant shift in the conflict, with Ansarullah's territorial gains along the Red Sea coast and the disruption of a major oil artery raising concerns over regional stability and global energy supplies.