France Offers Defensive Support to Protect Saudi Energy Sites
PARIS, FRANCE — WEB DESK: France has offered to help Saudi Arabia protect key energy infrastructure as escalating Houthi attacks raise concerns over the security of the kingdom’s oil facilities and global energy supplies, according to current international reporting.
A French diplomatic source said Paris was prepared to contribute to the protection of Saudi energy infrastructure targeted by Yemen’s Houthis, including facilities around Yanbu and the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline. France intends any assistance to follow a strictly defensive approach, according to AFP-based reporting.
The development follows a series of attacks that have intensified pressure on Saudi Arabia’s energy network. Recent disruption to the East-West pipeline and the Red Sea export system has complicated Saudi crude flows at a time when Middle East conflicts are already affecting international energy markets. Reuters reports that the Houthi offensive has threatened Saudi oil infrastructure and wider global energy supplies.
France had already publicly condemned Houthi attacks against civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In an official September 9 statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with Riyadh and called on the Houthis to immediately cease military operations.
Paris has also highlighted its existing role in maritime security. French officials say the country continues to participate in the European Union’s Operation Aspides, a defensive mission established to protect commercial shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
The latest French offer comes as other Western governments consider or approve limited defensive assistance to Riyadh. Britain has agreed to provide air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi aircraft following a formal request from the kingdom. The UK plans to deploy a Voyager aircraft for a limited period, with British officials describing the mission as defensive.
Meanwhile, G7 foreign ministers meeting around the United Nations General Assembly condemned continuing Houthi military operations and attacks on Saudi Arabia. They also called on Iran to stop what the G7 described as its arming and support of the Houthis. That allegation reflects the G7’s position and should remain attributed accordingly.
Energy markets remain sensitive to the conflict. Brent crude traded above $101 a barrel on Tuesday, while Saudi Aramco has resumed some exports through the Strait of Hormuz as the kingdom adjusts its oil flows following disruption elsewhere in its export network.
Shipping through Hormuz also remains sharply below pre-war levels. Reuters reported that just 17 commodity vessels transited the waterway over the latest weekend, compared with a pre-war daily average of about 125 vessels. No Saudi crude loadings from Yanbu had been observed since September 16, according to the report.
France has not publicly announced direct participation in offensive operations against the Houthis. The available reporting describes the proposed Saudi assistance specifically as defensive, focused on protecting critical energy infrastructure.
