The warning comes amid escalating hostilities involving Saudi Arabia, the Houthis and Iran, with the Yemeni group increasingly targeting Saudi infrastructure, airports and energy facilities.
The reported ultimatum centres on concerns that Russian weapons supplied to Iran could eventually reach the Houthis, the Iran-aligned armed movement that controls much of northwestern Yemen.
Iran has provided the Houthis with weapons, financial assistance, training and military expertise for more than a decade, although Tehran denies supplying weapons in violation of the United Nations arms embargo.
On November 11, Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted seven Houthi weapons, including three cruise missiles targeting Riyadh, two drones aimed at Mecca and southern regions, and two missiles heading west.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for an attack on a pumping station in Yanbu, although Saudi Arabia did not independently confirm that particular claim. Earlier attacks targeted Saudi Aramco’s administrative headquarters in Riyadh and King Khalid International Airport.
The escalation has increased pressure on Mohammed bin Salman, whose economic diversification programme depends heavily on attracting foreign investment, maintaining infrastructure security and projecting Saudi Arabia as a stable destination for international business.
Oil Markets already Facing Geopolitical Uncertainty
The conflict involving Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, while attacks on energy infrastructure have added uncertainty to supply expectations.
Saudi Arabia has responded by increasing production and relying on alternative export arrangements, including its East-West pipeline, which connects eastern oil-producing regions to the Red Sea.
On November 12, Brent crude traded at $93.40 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate stood at $86.54, according to Reuters showing balancing expectations of increased supply against geopolitical risks involving Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia.
