Drones launched by Yemen\u2019s Houthi rebels attacked a massive oil and gas field deep inside Saudi Arabia\u2019s sprawling desert on Saturday, causing what the kingdom described as a \u201climited fire\u201d in the second such recent attack on its crucial energy industry.<\/span> New drones and missiles displayed<\/strong><\/span><\/a> in July 2019 by Yemen\u2019s Houthi-allied armed forces<\/span><\/p>\n Houthi drones. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n Today’s attack is a check mate move against the Saudis. Shaybah is some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from Houthi-controlled territory. There are many more important economic targets within that range:<\/span><\/p>\n The field\u2019s distance from rebel-held territory in Yemen demonstrates the range of the Houthis\u2019 drones. U.N. investigators say the Houthis\u2019 new UAV-X drone, found in recent months during the Saudi-led coalition\u2019s war in Yemen, likely has a range of up to 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). That puts Saudi oil fields, an under-construction Emirati nuclear power plant and Dubai\u2019s busy international airport within their range.<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike sophisticated drones that use satellites to allow pilots to remotely fly them, analysts believe Houthi drones are likely programmed to strike a specific latitude and longitude and cannot be controlled once out of radio range. The Houthis have used drones, which can be difficult to track by radar, to attack Saudi Patriot missile batteries, as well as enemy troops.<\/span><\/p>\n The attack conclusively demonstrates that the most important assets of the Saudis are now under threat. This economic threat comes on top of a seven percent budget deficit the IMF predicts<\/a><\/strong><\/span> for Saudi Arabia. Further Saudi bombing against the Houthi will now have very significant additional cost that might even endanger the viability of the Saudi state. The Houthi have clown prince Mohammad bin Salman by the balls and can squeeze those at will.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nThe Saudi acknowledgement of the attack came hours after Yahia Sarie, a military spokesman for the Houthis, issued a video statement claiming the rebels launched 10 bomb-laden drones targeting the field in their \u201cbiggest-ever\u201d operation. He threatened more attacks would be coming.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/houthidrones-768x344.jpg\")
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