Gas
Saudi Arabia condemns attack on Qatari LNG vessel
Riyadh has strongly denounced the targeting of a Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier in the Arabian Gulf, urging immediate international action to safeguard global shipping lanes.
Key points
- Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the attack on the LNG carrier Al Mayeda.
- Defense officials call for enhanced international cooperation at the Manama Dialogue.
- Coalition forces execute specialized military operations against Houthi maritime assets.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong condemnation following an assault on the liquefied natural gas carrier Al Mayeda, which is owned by the Qatar Gas Transport Company. SPA reported that the incident occurred in the Arabian Gulf, prompting Riyadh to declare its full solidarity with Qatar regarding all measures implemented to protect commercial shipping and international trade.
The security situation was a central focus at the 22nd Regional Security Summit, the IISS Manama Dialogue 2026. Speaking for the Saudi Ministry of Defense delegation, Lieutenant General Fahd Al-Ghufaili stressed the vital role that global waterways play in maintaining energy supply chains. He warned that disruptions across the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden threaten international trade and energy markets. He pointed out that ongoing attacks by Houthi forces since 2023 underscore severe ongoing risks to maritime navigation.
To counter these threats, Al-Ghufaili highlighted an international initiative launched by Saudi Arabia on July 30, which established a Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition currently joined by 14 nations. In a parallel development, Major General Turki Al-Malki announced that the Coalition's Joint Forces Command carried out specialized military operations to neutralize Houthi assets utilized for maritime attacks in the southern Red Sea, aiming to curb hostile operations against civilian objects.
Why it matters
For energy investors and global markets, security disruptions in key Middle Eastern transit chokepoints carry immediate implications for commodity pricing and supply reliability. US Energy Information Administration figures from October 27, 2026, place Brent crude spot prices at 123.1 US dollars per barrel, reflecting a tense market environment where trade route vulnerabilities can trigger rapid price shifts. Fuel exports constitute a dominant share of merchandise exports for major producers in the region, standing at 78.7 percent for Saudi Arabia and 83.8 percent for Qatar, according to World Bank data. Any escalation threatening liquefied natural gas or oil transit directly impacts international energy security, creating ripple effects that extend to global markets and dependent economies worldwide.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
96.5% of electricity in Qatar came from gas in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
