Trump Says Iran War May Be Nearing End as Houthi-Saudi Fighting Escalates
Trump says the Iran war may be nearing an end as Houthi-Saudi fighting intensifies, oil risks rise and Brent crude trades near $108 a barrel.
Raja Awais Ali
9/17/20263 min read
Trump Says Iran War May Be Nearing End as Houthi-Saudi Fighting Escalates
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he hopes the war involving Iran is nearing its end, even as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces has intensified in Yemen, adding a new layer of risk to an already wider regional conflict.
The war, which began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran followed by Iranian strikes on Israel and U.S. bases in Gulf states, has now entered its seventh month. The latest escalation in Yemen has increased concerns over regional security and global energy supplies as Saudi aircraft strike Houthi positions and the Houthis launch drones and missiles toward Saudi targets.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, Trump said he hoped the war was approaching its conclusion. He also said Iran wanted to make a deal and claimed he had heard directly from Iran, although he did not provide further details about the communication.
The expansion of the conflict into Yemen has raised concerns about the security of major energy routes. Houthi forces have advanced along Yemen's Red Sea coast and have carried out attacks against Saudi Arabia, while attacks have also damaged Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline.
The situation is particularly significant for global energy markets because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already been disrupted by the war. Before the conflict, the strategically important waterway carried about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Traders have warned that a prolonged disruption of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline could affect as much as 4% of global oil supply. Saudi Arabia has not said when normal operations on the pipeline will resume.
Oil prices remained elevated on Wednesday. Brent crude traded around $108 a barrel, close to its highest level since May, while the average U.S. retail price of diesel fuel rose above $6.30 per gallon for the first time.
However, oil prices eased in early Thursday trading after reports that Saudi Arabia was offering additional crude cargoes through Oman. The move reduced some immediate concerns about supply disruptions in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures fell $1.24, or 1.2%, to $104.59 a barrel by 0049 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures declined $1.14, or 1.1%, to $101.29 a barrel.
The rise in oil and gas prices linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has also become an important political issue in the United States ahead of the November midterm elections.
As the conflict has spread, Washington has tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia. U.S. government employees have been prohibited from travelling within 20 miles, or about 30 kilometres, of the Saudi-Yemen border because of the deteriorating security situation.
Diplomatic efforts are also continuing as Washington looks for possible next steps in the wider conflict. Axios reported that Trump was expected to meet Gulf leaders or foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
According to the report, the discussions could involve representatives from all six Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The White House and the U.S. State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the reported meeting.
Meanwhile, the Houthis released battlefield footage showing fighters taking armoured vehicles from Saudi-backed forces. The footage also showed warplanes flying over desert areas and large explosions.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had carried out new drone and missile attacks against Yanbu, a major Saudi oil port on the Red Sea, as well as a Saudi airbase at Khamis Mushait in the south of the kingdom. He did not specify when the reported attacks took place.
Saree also claimed that Saudi Arabia had conducted as many as 450 air strikes against Yemen during the week. Officials from the Saudi-backed government that controls southern Yemen have acknowledged that Saudi and allied forces were carrying out air strikes against Houthi positions, but Riyadh has not confirmed the figure of 450 attacks.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting the Houthis since 2015. The conflict had largely quietened in recent years under a ceasefire, but tensions escalated again after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and launched attacks toward southern parts of the kingdom.
The renewed fighting in Yemen has therefore become another important front in the wider Iran conflict. While Trump says he hopes the war with Iran is nearing an end and that Tehran wants a deal, the continuing attacks in Yemen, pressure on Saudi energy infrastructure and disruption around major shipping routes indicate that the regional conflict remains active and continues to carry significant risks for global energy markets.
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