Riyadh Wakes Up To Houthi Missiles; Saudi On Alert As MBS' East West Pipeline Hit | Firstpost Live

Saudi Arabia's air defences have been working overtime to intercept Houthi missiles, with the country facing a growing security, financial and energy crisis. In the latest, multiple explosions were heard in the Saudi capital this morning, as the military coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it had intercepted a ballistic missile. Residents reportedly received a text message alert on their mobile phones, instructing them to take shelter due to an aerial threat. Later, Saudi civil defence confirmed that the danger had passed. But the threat to Saudi Arabia extends far beyond its capital. On November 9th, the Kingdom's strategic east-west oil pipeline was targeted in the Medina region. According to reports, the attacks triggered a limited fire which was quickly extinguished. There were no casualties reported and the pipeline operations remain unaffected for now. But the wider implications of launching these attacks are not lost on the country. Let's understand why. The East-West pipeline has become particularly important for Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing war with Iran. It acts as the country's oil lifeline. It allows Riyadh, which is the world's largest oil exporter, transport crude from its eastern oil fields to the Red Sea. This corridor facilitates that transit by entirety bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. And with Iran seeking to disrupt shipping through the strategic waterway, any threat to this alternative export route could have major implications for global energy supplies. Saudi has been pursuing a self-sufficient strategy for a while. Even without the Houthi confrontation dominating the headlines now, Riyadh has maintained that it wants to become more self-reliant. It aims to achieve this via the Saudi Vision 2030 framework. The core objectives of this policy are mainly three things. First, it is to reduce Saudi Arabia's heavy reliance on oil. Second, it is to diversify its national economy. And third and the final one, it is to modernize its social and cultural landscape. But with Houthis launching their drones and missiles at multiple Saudi regions, especially its economic center in Riyadh, the estimated timeline to attain these goals can be indefinitely extended. Take the recent Aramco Tower strike, for instance. The state-owned gas company generates about 40 to 50 percent of country's GDP. It is one of the world's largest oil producing companies and among the largest corporate entities on the planet by revenue, net income and market capitalization. So any attack on its facilities is enough to cause significant damage to a country's economic spirit. And amid this, normalcy has also taken a backseat in the country's schools. Students in Riyadh had only spent about two days back in classrooms after weeks of distance learning. Authorities say this is a precautionary measure, but it is not clear how long this policy will remain in effect amid the worsening security crisis. Meanwhile, the conflict is also intensifying on the Yemeni front. The Saudi-led coalition says it has destroyed three facilities involved in producing missile components and fuel. The Houthis, in turn, reported a Saudi strike on Hodeida Airport, a facility on the Red Sea that has long been out of operation. The group also claimed that the death toll from weekend Saudi strikes on a village in Sana'a province had risen to 44. We in the judicial bodies will spare no effort, and it's been about 12 years that we have been monitoring, documenting, and investigating the crimes of the aggression. We will work to bring the criminals to trial, all criminals, whether they are the Americans, the Jews, the Zionists, or the mercenaries. We will not forget our wounds. We will not forget our blood, nor our children. We'll The humanitarian situation elsewhere in Yemen is equally dismal. According to Forbes, be over 200,000 people fled their homes between September and October right with the total crossing the 300,000 mark by November 1st. This violence has disrupted access to essential services as well. In regions of southwestern Yemen's Taiz where back. the fighting remains rife, those displaced are struggling to survive. I used to make a living selling vegetables before. I had a stall, but it didn't work out. There's no more work, and the market is not like it used to be. So I went back to collecting plastic bottles. I collect to be able to get a bite to eat. Bread, a little flour. We need, for example, gas. We need blankets. We need mattresses. We need flour, sugar, rice, oil. What we use it for is feeding the children and keeping warm from the cold. . . . . While families in Yemen struggle to find their next meal, Saudi Arabia is struggling to protect its own territory. And with every new attack, the pressure on Riyadh to safeguard its people, its economy and its strategic interests only continues to grow. The Saudi-Houthi confrontation is now creating consequences on multiple fronts. Hi, my name is Josh Barnes. I am an international foodie. I can't wait to try this food. Let's go. Wow, top level restaurant. Genuinely, it's the nicest feeling. Good feeling. But here, it's something completely different. It's unbelievable food.