US President Donald Trump has demanded that Ukraine stop attacks on Russian refineries. Trump said on Sunday during his visit to Ireland that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky must "stop shutting down diesel fuel in Russia." Zelensky could attack “other targets,” but not refineries that produce diesel, “because he is causing a diesel shortage.”
In response to massive Russian missile and drone attacks, Ukraine has been targeting energy infrastructure in Russia for months, targeting refineries and oil depots, among other things.
The background to Trump's demand may be the increased price of diesel in the USA: According to the US automobile club AAA, it was above six dollars per gallon (5.22 euros for 3.8 liters) for the first time on Friday. The last time the diesel price was similarly high was in June 2022 at $5.82 per gallon. At that time, the Russian attack on Ukraine caused energy prices to rise significantly.
Attack on central oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia
Since February 2026, the US-Israeli war against Iran has significantly reduced the volume of oil and gas on the global market. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), diesel is particularly affected because refineries in the Gulf states and Russia are damaged.
Trump now claimed that the diesel shortage was not due to the Iran war. "This doesn't come from the Middle East," he said in Ireland. "This is a consequence of what is happening with Russia and Ukraine."
Meanwhile, the situation in the Middle East is getting worse, with experts and analysts fearing rising gasoline prices worldwide. After the Strait of Hormuz has been closed for months, another important maritime trade route, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, is threatened with possible closure. The reason: the increased attacks on the oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia by Yemeni Houthi militias supported by Iran.
On Friday, drone attacks led to the temporary shutdown of an important oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. It is still unclear whether the Houthis are also behind these attacks.
Since Saturday, the Houthi militia has increased its attacks on Saudi Arabia. The militia attacked an army base in southern Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles, Houthi spokesman Jahja Saree said on Sunday on the online service X. According to the UN, more than 2,000 people have fled Yemen to neighboring Djibouti in the past few days.
The Houthi militia recently launched a large-scale offensive and conquered the entire Red Sea coast in fighting against Yemeni government troops. According to the Yemeni government, the militia now controls the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is important for global trade and connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.
The attack on the Saudi Arabian base in Sharurah targeted "weapons depots and command and control centers," said Houthi spokesman Saree. The Houthis already control large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The militia announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia at the end of July and has since attacked Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea and oil facilities in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia supports Yemeni government troops in the fight against the Houthis.
“This will happen to us again at the gas station”
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia responded to the attacks from Yemen with numerous air strikes, which, according to Houthi information, also hit the airport in the port city of Mocha. The Houthis had previously also taken Mocha under their control.
The conflict could have dramatic consequences for Saudi Arabia and the global economy: According to insiders and analysts, the country faces major losses in its oil exports if the important oil pipeline does not go back into operation within a few days.
Security expert Moritz Brake said in an interview with MDR that the consequences of a possible closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait would also reach Germany: Then "the global oil market" would be affected, "with all the effects on all participants in this market." Brake continues: "This will happen to us again at the gas station." Some analysts such as Hamad Hussain from the consulting firm Capital Economics expect the price of oil to rise to 120 US dollars per barrel; That roughly corresponds to the record price in April of this year.
According to the UN, at least 76,000 people have been displaced because of the conflict in Yemen since July 2026. More than 70,000 of them have been forced to flee since the beginning of September, the International Organization for Migration said on Sunday. Since Thursday alone, more than 2,000 people have fled to Djibouti by boat.
