Last week, the Houthis surged out of their strongholds in northern Yemen to seize the Red Sea port of Mokha and several islands inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, strengthening their control over one of the world’s most important shipping corridors despite years of Saudi, American, British and Israeli strikes.

The Houthis deny targeting the holy site as their Red Sea advances threaten oil supplies and widen a regional conflict shaped by the Iran war.

Analysts warn oil prices could rally sharply if the pipeline remains offline beyond an estimated five-to-seven-day inventory cushion.

The kingdom is in a state of strategic shock after coming under attack from an emboldened Iran and failing to win more U.S. military support, analysts say.

The kingdom said it intercepted a drone before it entered airspace over Mecca. The Iran-backed Yemeni rebels denied targeting the city in their escalating campaign against the key U.S. ally.

Saudi Arabia faces a potential two-front conflict as it weighs what to do about the Houthi advance. The Houthis swept down the coast of the Red Sea and took islands near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Meanwhile,

Al Taawoun have been fined 100,000 riyals ($26,660, £19,796) after an investigation by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

Saudi Arabia is running out of work-arounds to keep its oil flowing, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatening its exports via the Red Sea.