🚀 HOUTHI THREATS EXTENDED TO SAUDI OIL AND AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE: Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that Saudi oil installations and other vital facilities would become missile targets if Riyadh joins a large-scale attack against Yemen. He accused Saudi Arabia of alignment with the United States, Israel and Britain, framed the confrontation as “Sana’a airport versus Riyadh airport” and rejected surrender as an option.
A senior source in the Houthi Defense Ministry separately alleged that Israeli Gulfstream aircraft departed Nevatim Air Base and operated alongside Saudi forces over the Red Sea. The source claimed the aircraft supported Saudi air defenses by gathering intelligence and tracking incoming Houthi missiles and drones following Saudi strikes on Sana’a International Airport.
🛡️ PAKISTAN DEFINED ATTACKS ON SAUDI ARABIA AS A “RED LINE”: A Pakistani official said Islamabad had informed Tehran that attacks on Saudi Arabia would be treated as attacks on Pakistan. Pakistani leaders reportedly warned that additional attacks on Saudi territory could compel military intervention.
Under a mutual-defense agreement signed last year, nuclear-armed Pakistan has deployed thousands of soldiers, including forces near the Saudi-Yemen border, and a squadron of fighter aircraft to the kingdom.
Islamabad is also concerned that Red Sea shipping disruptions could affect its energy imports and complicate its mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. Reuters reported that the IRGC’s military wing appeared increasingly dominant over Iran’s political leadership, with internal strains recently delaying a planned Iranian delegation visit to Islamabad.
💰 WASHINGTON OFFERED UP TO $15 MILLION FOR HOUTHI FINANCIAL INFORMATION: The State Department reward is intended to support efforts to disrupt Ansarallah financing. The announcement cited attacks on commercial vessels, civilian deaths, forced rerouting, attempted hijackings and shore-to-ship missile attacks against American and allied shipping.
⚓ HORMUZ TRAFFIC REMAINED NEAR ONE-TENTH OF PRE-WAR LEVELS: Kpler recorded only 13 merchant vessels crossing the strait on Wednesday, with eight leaving and five entering the Persian Gulf.
Despite a U.S.-promoted southern route near the Omani coast, tracking data indicated that most operators continued using routes near Iran. Some vessels were reportedly disabling their transponders to reduce the risk of detection.
Iran has also drafted regulations imposing “environmental compensation fees” on vessels transiting Hormuz. The proposal still requires parliamentary approval.
🛢️ THE GLOBAL OIL BUFFER CONTINUED TO SHRINK: Worldwide crude stockpiles have fallen by 360 million barrels since March and by more than one billion barrels since the conflict began, reducing the principal buffer against a major supply shock.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said alternative production and Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline had limited immediate shortages but could not sustainably compensate for an extended disruption. Brent crude rose by approximately $13 to nearly $85 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained more than $10 and settled just below $80.
💥 SECURITY INCIDENTS DISRUPTED IRAQI OIL OPERATIONS: A drone exploded near a Liberian-flagged tanker at Iraq’s Basra oil port, prompting authorities to suspend oil-loading operations, according to a security source cited by Al Jazeera.
The Iraqi Ports Authority disputed reports of a wider interruption, saying handling operations were continuing and that the incident occurred outside its jurisdiction. Dana Gas separately shut down its principal facilities at the Khor Mor field because of security threats, according to Reuters.
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