While the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, Saudi Arabia is executing a quiet yet dramatic strategic maneuver.
The data from March 2026 leaves no doubt: the Yanbu port on the Red Sea coast in the west of the kingdom is currently the lifeline of Saudi oil.
The numbers behind the move:
* Export surge: from 1.1 million barrels per day in February to 2.2 million at the beginning of March – on the way to a target of 4 million.
* The east-west pipeline: Aramco demonstrates logistical flexibility by pumping oil far from the conflict zone in the Persian Gulf directly to the Red Sea coast.
* The regional vacuum: while Iraq cut production by 60% and the Emirates and Kuwait reduce activity under fire, Riyadh is the only player maintaining critical flow to the global market.