Pepe Escobar: BREAKING: Saudi Airstrikes Hit Yemen Oil Port—Yemen to Strike ARAMCO

Summary

The discussion centers on reports of Saudi airstrikes in Yemen and the risk of wider regional escalation. The host and Pepe Escobar say the strikes hit the Ras Isa oil terminal and may have targeted an oil facility in Sana’a. They note that claims of an underground military base beneath the Sana’a facility are unverified and that the facility may not currently be operating.

Escobar warns that further attacks could prompt Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement to target Saudi oil infrastructure and other sites. The host and Escobar identify Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh, as well as King Khalid International Airport, as targets Yemen has reportedly named. Escobar says Ansar Allah’s stated demands include ending the blockade and other pressure on Yemen, and having Saudi Arabia acknowledge its role in starting the war in 2015. He argues that escalation, rather than airstrikes, could seriously damage Saudi exports, investment, and economic activity.

On regional involvement, Escobar claims Israeli military advisers are working with Saudi Arabia and US Central Command, though the discussion provides no independent confirmation. He says Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia to protect Mecca and Medina, not to participate in offensive operations near Yemen. He also argues that Pakistani and Turkish public opinion would oppose deeper involvement. Iran is described as pursuing mediation, while a possible Chinese role is mentioned but remains unconfirmed. Escobar sees little immediate prospect of negotiations.

Escobar also predicts that the conflict could deepen divisions within Saudi Arabia, including among marginalized princes and tribes. He presents Yemen’s potential territorial gains and reunification as plausible, while arguing that the war could ultimately weaken the Saudi-led regional order. These are his assessments and forecasts, not established outcomes.

Other developments

• Russia, Iran, and diesel: Escobar describes a reported arrangement in which Russian refineries process Iranian oil into diesel that is then sold to the United States or Europe. He portrays this as an example of sanctions policies being reversed in practice.
• Ukraine and Russian data services: The speakers discuss reports of Ukrainian attacks on Yandex data centers and resulting service disruptions in Russia. Escobar calls the attacks serious and says he sees no agreed energy ceasefire. He argues that Moscow views a ceasefire as potentially allowing Ukraine to rearm. He says Russia’s objective is to defeat the Ukrainian leadership and bring officials to trial—not simply to kill President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Wider regional tensions: Escobar says US military deployments could involve Iran, Yemen, and other groups aligned with Iran, but the discussion does not establish who would be targeted or when.

Presenters and contributors

• Nima — host
• Pepe Escobar — guest commentator