K-Points News: Beyond the Headlines — War, Unrest, Commodity Prices, and Beyond
K-Points News: Beyond the Headlines — War, Unrest, Commodity Prices, and Beyond
Houthis Deny Saudi-Backed Forces’ Claim of Capturing Mokha, Seizing Bab al-Mandab
On Monday, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces claimed to have taken control of key positions along the Bab al-Mandab strait from the Houthis.
Reuters reported that military sources said their forces had captured large parts of Dhubab district, which overlooks the strategic waterway. The sources claimed full control of the area, backed by heavy airstrikes from the Saudi-led coalition. The operations were aimed at reversing recent Houthi gains and driving the group away from the strait.
Yemen Conflict Map (INSS)
However the , Houthi-aligned media denied any territorial losses. Al Mayadeen reported that a senior military source stating that the Houthi-led Yemeni Armed Forces had liberated more than 2,000 square kilometers in Taiz Governorate, expelling Saudi-backed militias from the al-Ma’afer and al-Mawasit districts. The source also claimed forces had reached the home of Rashad al-Alimi. "All liberated areas are experiencing stability," the source said, reaffirming that the general amnesty in Taiz remains in effect. The source warned that any Saudi military buildup would be targeted wherever it occurs, and that Saudi Arabia would bear the consequences of its "aggression."
U.S. Strategic Lowest Level Since 1982 After Last Week's Drawdown to 283 Million Barrels
U.S. crude oil inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) fell by approximately 767,000 barrels last week to around 283 million barrels, the lowest level since 1982.
The decline is linked to the U.S. administration’s decision to release oil from the strategic reserves in an effort to stabilize the market and limit the rise in crude prices following the outbreak of war with Iran. Although these emergency releases can help increase short-term supply and ease pressure on prices, they also reduce the country’s stockpile of emergency oil. As a result, continued withdrawals have pushed the SPR to historically low levels, potentially limiting the US administration ability to control further the rise of oil price and to be able to manipulate the oil market.
