Sanaa officials mock Aramco chief’s remarks on maritime ban

SANAA, Aug. 04 (YPA) – Remarks by the Saudi Aramco president on Tuesday, downplaying the impact of Sanaa’s maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, drew sharp reactions from officials in Sanaa.

In an interview with Al Arabiya TV, the Aramco chief said the company’s exports are not dependent solely on Gulf and Red Sea routes.

Responding on X, Hazam al-Assad, a member of Yemen’s Shura Council and the political bureau of Ansarullah, mocked the comments, saying they implied the solution is to break the tap from the source, in remarks widely interpreted as suggesting that alternative export routes would not shield Saudi oil infrastructure from escalation.

Al-Assad also questioned Saudi Arabia’s ability to protect its shipping and criticized the international coalition, reiterating that Sanaa links its military actions to ending the blockade and securing what it describes as the Yemeni people’s rights.

Separately, Ansarullah Political Bureau member Mohammed al-Farah responded to the Aramco chief’s assertion that Sanaa attacks had not affected the company’s oil capabilities with a brief message on X: “Just wait… it will.”

Observers said the exchanges reflect continued political and media escalation between the two sides, with renewed attention on the vulnerability of Saudi energy infrastructure if the conflict intensifies.

AA